Book 4: Air: Second Genesis
by wherewulf
Summary: Writer's continuation of the story from Avatar: the Last Airbender.
1. Chapter 1: The Second Task

Hello, and welcome to my tale of Book 4—Air: Second Genesis.

Thank you in advance for reading; I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was a pain at times, but it's been a blast. Please, tell me what you think!

My thanks to Chaka for the beta and to Invaderk for all but being my editor. It's a much stronger story thanks to you, Vee. Thanks so much, guys. 3

_Avatar: the Last Airbender_ is the property of Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, and also by extension the property of Nickelodeon and its associated corporations. My great thanks to Messrs. DiMartino and Konietzko for creating ATLA in the first place. XD

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><p><strong>Avatar: the Last Airbender<strong>

**Book Four: Air**

**Second Genesis**

_Water…_

_Earth…_

_Fire…_

_Air…_

_Long ago, the Four Nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked._

_Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most… he vanished._

_A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar: an Airbender named Aang. And although his Airbending skills were great, he had a lot to learn before he was ready to save anyone._

_But I believed… Aang could save the world._

_And that's exactly what he did._

_In less than a year, Aang learned how to bend the remaining three elements with three masters of bending. First, he learned the arts of Waterbending from Master Pakku… and me._

_Then, he learned how to Earthbend from someone who waits, and listens: not his old friend King Bumi, but Toph Bei Fong, who I never saw wait or listen for anything._

_Finally, he learned how to Firebend from the original Firebending Masters: the Dragons of the Sun Warriors. He completed his training with the last person you would think—his old nemesis, Fire Prince Zuko._

_Sozin's Comet came, as everyone expected… and Aang fulfilled his destiny and faced Phoenix King Ozai when he came to destroy the Earth Kingdom. And Aang defeated him._

_We each had trials and triumphs of our own. Sokka rescued our father and Suki from the Boiling Rock Prison. Zuko and I faced Azula and beat her… but at heavy cost. Azula is now in the Royal Sanitarium… and Zuko is healing._

_Things have gotten better since the end of the war—kind of. There are still problems between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom—you have to expect that after a hundred years of war—and Aang and the rest of us have gone out to help whenever we can. A lot of times we can help, but the people have to resolve their own problems. Aang can't be everywhere, and he can't stay in just one place._

_Zuko is now the Fire Lord, and he has his hands full running the Fire Nation. He's doing a good job, as far as we can tell. At least, when we have problems, he can help us a lot. But sometimes… the Fire Nation people have to find solutions for their own problems, too._

_We spend whatever time we can in Ba Sing Se, helping out there, waiting for the next problem to come up. We do find time to just do things, too, like explore Ba Sing Se's markets and restaurants, try foods, gadgets, clothes, and other things from all over the world... or just hang out with my boyfriend._

_There are so many things I never thought I would do. Waterbend for real, making water move the way I want it to, not just at random… fly through the air… meet people from all of the Four Nations… so many things. And now that the war is over, I wonder what new things I'll do now?_

_Of course, saying "the war is over" is a lot easier than dealing with what really is. The Fire Nation was at war with the rest of the world for a hundred years. That leaves a lot of problems to solve._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter One:<strong>

**The Second Task**

It was snowing in Ba Sing Se… the first snow of the season.

It just started to fall as Katara reached the Gaang's house, back from the market. The fluffy white flakes slowly drifted down, and the gray-skied city slowly started to turn white.

Katara watched the snow fall a little longer, then sent the flakes into a swirl with a Waterbending wave of her hand. She giggled and went indoors.

Inside, Sokka was playing catch with Aang; Sokka would toss the ball to Aang, and Aang would catch the ball and toss it back with Airbending. Toph messed around with Momo by Earthbending a stone under a carpet while he chased after it.

"Hey, guys!" Katara called. "It's snowing outside!"

"Cool!" said Toph. "What's it like? I've never seen snow before."

"_What?_" Sokka jerked upright. "How could you never see snow before? It's white, it's cold, you can make snowballs with it, and it's…" Then he saw Toph's grin. "...smirking. Ha ha, Toph, very funnyyyyyy…"

Aang chuckled. "Got him again, Toph."

Toph's grin got even wider. "But of course."

"Still…" Sokka's face mellowed. I think I'm gonna go out and look at it. It's been a long time since I've seen snow."

"Yeah, like, since the North Pole?" said Katara.

"Yeah. Several months, at least."

Toph shrugged. "What's so special about snow?"

"Well, it is nice to look at," said Sokka. "All white and fluffy… and for me, it's a reminder of home, too."

"Home." Katara grew wistful, and sighed. "We haven't been there in a while, either."

"No, we haven't." Sokka looked at the window. "Gee… I haven't _thought_ about home in a long time, either."

Toph shrugged again. "_This_ is home…"

"Yeah, but not like _home_ home. Where you don't get strange looks when you ask for blubbered seal jerky, or sea prunes."

Aang made a face. "Frankly, Sokka, I don't like them, either."

Katara brightened, breaking out of her thoughts. "Let's go."

That took everybody by surprise. "Huh?"

"Let's go! Let's go to the South Pole."

"Well…" Aang looked dubious. "We're kind of waiting for the next thing to happen at the Fire Nation border."

"And we can wait just as well down at the South Pole."

"But—"

"Come on, it'll be fun! It's been months since we had a vacation." Katara spread her arms. "The world can take care of itself for a bit, can't it?"

Aang was hesitant. "Yeah, I guess it can…"

"Yeah, let's go!" Sokka, said, gathering enthusiasm. "The world can wait a bit. Team Avatar needs some down time."

Aang looked at him. "Uh, Sokka, about that name…"

Toph raised a finger. "I _do_ beg your pardon for disturbing the celebration, but—just what's so fun about hanging out in the middle of a bunch of frozen water?"

Sokka grinned. "You'll see. There'll be snowball fights, and sledding, and—oh! You'll get to meet Gran-Gran! You two can have a frown-off!—and campfires, and roasted meats, and…"

The Gaang gathered supplies and made ready to leave. It didn't take long, as they had been doing this sort of thing for months. They left messages that they were leaving with the appropriate authorities, said their good-byes to Iroh (that took a while; he was a member of the Gaang, too, in many ways), and then they were off.

That first night in camp, however, Aang's dreams were troubled.

"Aang…"

Aang didn't stir.

"Aang…"

"_Aang…_"

He opened his eyes.

He was standing in a dark gray cloudbank at night. A midnight blue sky was overhead, speckled with white stars.

There opposite him was a tall regal lady Airbender.

"Avatar Yangchen!"

She smiled. "Hello, Aang."

"It's good to see you. It's been a while."

"And you." Her smile faded. "I wish the circumstances were less dire."

"Why? What's happened?"

"It is more a matter of what is not happening." She looked him in the eye. "Your task is only half done."

"My task?" Aang was incredulous. "What do I have to do? I thought my task was done when I defeated Ozai!"

"Yes." Yangchen put her hands into the sleeves of her robe and brought them in front of her. "In defeating the Fire Lord, you have restored balance to the world… for the moment. However, were something to happen to you, the Air Nomads would no longer exist. The Avatar that follows you would not be able to learn Airbending… nor the one after that… nor the one after that. And finally, when the Avatar Cycle came around again to the Air Nomads, there would be no Air Nomads for the Avatar to be born from. The Cycle would be broken… and the Avatar would be no more.

"You must restore the Air Nomads, Aang."

Aang swallowed. "But… how? I mean, surely with all that time—"

"You must restore the Air Nomads, Aang."

The dream faded.

"Wait! What am I supposed to do?"

"_You must restore the Air Nomads…_"


	2. Chapter 2: The Earth Regent

**Chapter Two:**

**The Earth Regent**

The next morning, Aang told the others about his dream.

Sokka was annoyed. "You know, with all this Spirit World stuff, it'd be nice if they give us a little bit of _help_ to do these things. Or even a hint." He raised his hands skyward. "Can I ask for a hint, O The Universe?"

"_Listen, Sokka_…" Toph said in a spooky voice. "_Listen and learn_…"

Sokka frowned at her. "That's your way of saying, 'Be quiet', isn't it?" Toph grinned.

Katara looked at Aang. "What do you think we should do?"

"I don't know." Aang looked at the campfire. "She said _I'm_ supposed to restore the Air Nomads."

"Well, I think that's pretty straightforward," said Sokka, joking and jovial again. "Just go to the Earth Regent, explain your situation, round up a bevy of wives, and poof! Instant Air Nomad nation."

Aang glared. "Sokka!"

As did Katara. "That isn't funny, Sokka!"

"Awww, whatsamatter? Is my widdle sister jeawous?"

Aang gestured. "Sokka, I'm not old enough to be a father yet. Besides, I kinda have things to do?"

"Yeah, yeah, saving the world and all that, I know." Then Sokka tapped his chin. "But you know… we might want to go to the Earth Regent anyway."

"Huh?" "Why?"

"Well, your people are the Air _Nomads_, right?"

"Yeah, and we were called that because we—" Then Aang's eyes widened. "—Travelled all over… And if some of us heard about the attacks—"

"Then maybe they would try to get away and hide!" finished Katara.

"Yup," said Toph, "avoid and evade. Sounds like an Airbender I _used_ to know." Aang smiled at her.

Katara turned to Sokka. "But that still doesn't explain why we should go to the Earth Regent."

"You remember when they went into Long Feng's office and brought out a bunch of secret files on us? And then they brought out some papers saying Dad was at Chameleon Bay?"

"Yeah?"

Sokka leaned in. "How much you wanna bet they have secret files about a _lot_ of people, and about a lot of things? And if they look through it all…"

"They might find something about Airbenders!" said Aang. "Sokka, you're a genius!"

Sokka brushed his fingernails on his tunic several times, looking suitably smug. "Indubitably."

When the Order of the White Lotus liberated Ba Sing Se, the Earth King was still at large, nowhere to be found. The Earth Kingdom's nobles met to discuss the problem. They concluded that someone should hold the throne of Ba Sing Se in trust until the Earth King returned, someone wise and capable but without ambition, someone who would not take the throne and keep it for themselves.

They found who they were looking for in an old dowager countess from the eastern provinces, a widow with no children who was a shrewd merchant. She became known to history as the Earth Regent.

A few months before Aang sought the Earth Regent's help, she had had a very different audience in the Throne Room with a shackle-bound prisoner.

"Long Feng."

The rag-clad prisoner raised his head.

"You have been here in prison for several months. During that time, you have behaved yourself and been a model prisoner. It is also my understanding that you helped quell a riot in the prison a few months ago."

"Yes—your Highness."

"With the need to reoccupy former Fire Nation-held territory, we have had to send many of our best administrators to those lands, leaving a gap in administration here. The Earth Kingdom has need of your services."

Long Feng bowed slightly. "It would give me great pleasure to serve your Highness." A hiss ran around the room. He glanced quickly to the side.

"Be warned, Long Feng: what you did is not forgiven, let alone forgotten. The Earth Kingdom needs you, but nowhere near as much as you need it. You will be watched, and given menial tasks. And if you prove worthy of that trust, you will be given more." The Earth Regent lightened her voice. "These are new times… you have a chance here to make yourself anew."

She then returned to her former authoritarian tone. "Should you stray, and put yourself ahead of the Earth Kingdom again… I will see to it that you are sent to the coldest possible place, and kept there for the rest of your life."

"I understand, your Highness."

The Earth Regent gave a ring to an attendant, who took it to Long Feng. "You will wear this iron ring in token of this, as a reminder." She nodded to the guards. "Release him. And let him assume his duties."

Guards removed the shackles. Long Feng rubbed his wrists, then put on the iron ring. He brought his hands together in front of him, hand covering fist, and bowed. "Thank you, your Highness."

"Do not disappoint me, Long Feng."

"Yes, your Highness."

He walked out of the Throne Room with his guards. Once in the hall, he smiled.

Today, especially compared with Long Feng's interview, the mood was very different.

The Avatar's request for an audience was granted as soon as possible. Guards bowed as Aang and his party entered, as did waiting courtiers and nobles.

The Earth Regent's chair was in front of the Earth King's throne and a step below it. It was made of rare wood, lacquered black and decorated on the sides and back with brown sabre-toothed moose-lions with gold fangs and claws. The chair belonged to the Earth King, but it was rather simple compared to the throne. That made it perfect for the Regent. Ornate and beautiful, yet less so than the King's throne, its composition and placement correctly reflected her status: a caretaker, not a monarch.

The Earth Regent remained seated, but she smiled and nodded her head. "Avatar Aang. We are honored by your presence."

Aang smiled and bowed. "Thank you, your Highness. And thank you for seeing me so quickly." He laid out his needs and made his request.

The Earth Regent smiled. "Avatar Aang, you saved my people from destruction by fire. If we cannot help you in the rebuilding of your people, we would be terribly ungrateful. We will do all we can."

With the plan set in motion and business with the Earth Regent complete, the Gaang boarded Appa and took flight again, bound once more for the Southern Water Tribe.


	3. Chapter 3: Royal Relations

**Chapter Three:**

**Royal Relations**

Zuko stood alone on an empty field near the Fire Palace in the Fire Nation Capital. He was clad in loose tan clothing, and his eyes were closed, his hands at his sides.

He slowly opened his eyes.

One hand curved above his head, the other opposite it, at his center.

The upper hand came down in a curve, gathering charge. The other echoed it, same path, going up, coming down. He brought his fingertips together, left and right, then pointed.

The air exploded. He was blown off his feet.

He rested there a moment, then got back on his feet and tried again. Same result. One guard nearby shook his head.

Zuko went through the same course a few times more, getting progressively ash-covered, until he finally stopped and shook his head. "Not today." He headed back inside.

On the way in, one of his guards spoke. "My lord, why must you do this to yourself?"

Zuko looked at him, not breaking stride. "Meditation."

"Meditation? _This_ is meditation, my lord?"

"Of course." Zuko's voice was low and even, almost gravelly. "This is something I can't do—yet. I feel it there, just beyond my reach. I am slowly understanding it. It's a good exercise for patience."

"Spirits know you need it—" the man blurted out, then stopped, aghast at what he'd said.

Zuko stopped.

Then smiled. "Yes. I do."

He walked on. "Certainly these days call for patience."

o o o

"The troops have almost completed their pullback to their treaty positions in the Earth Kingdom," a general said at the council meeting. "We have completed the transfer of two divisions back to the homeland. Supply requests are higher than normal for our troops in the Colonies, particularly for food."

"Why is that?" an admiral asked.

"The troops were used to living off the land, Admiral."

"You mean, off the Earth Kingdom."

"Yes. Understandably we didn't have to supply them, then." There were some chuckles at that.

Zuko, seated at the head of the table, didn't share in the laughter. "We cannot have _that_ going on among our own people," he said. "Increase our supplies to the Colonies."

The general nodded. "Yes, Fire Lord. Hopefully that will help keep things from getting worse."

Another general raised an eyebrow. "Worse?"

"Yes, General Xhong. There has been an increasing number of disturbances in the Colonies. Fighting, disorderly conduct, arson, theft—"

"Among the soldiers, or the colonists?"

"Both, General. It's still low in comparison with the Earth Kingdom. But it _is_ happening, like it wasn't before."

Xhong nodded. "Before the end of the war."

"Do we know why this is happening?" asked Zuko.

"No investigation has been done, Fire Lord. But my guess would be overcrowding and… general discontent."

"Overcrowding? General discontent? What is this?" Xhong was wide-eyed. "Are they soldiers or nursemaids?"

"They are soldiers, General. And the Colonies do have barracks, certainly, as they were staging points for our troops during the war. But the barracks there were never meant to hold so many troops; the troops were always shipped out to the front, they never stayed in the cities long. And the people, well… they've seen troops, but not like this. Even the merchants—"

"The merchants." Xhong sneered. "They've been making a tidy profit for years, especially with the _end_ of the war. They can afford a little hardship."

"The merchants' taxes pay our troops, General," said another officer. "_And_ pay for our ships and tanks. They might take a little hardship, but not too much—or else we'll have a money problem, too."

The officer looked to Zuko. "I would also think that some of the troops want to come home. The pullback raised expectations, maybe too high. That could cause some problems."

For Zuko, that sparked a memory.

"_You must remember, Zuko_," Iroh had said in Ba Sing Se before they parted. "_You will face pressure to bring home all the troops from the occupied lands. It will be very tempting. You must not do this._"

"_Why, Uncle?_" Zuko had asked. "_With the war over, we don't need to keep them there. It's the right thing to do to bring them home._"

"_Yes, I agree. And that is why it is so tempting._" Iroh put his hands back into his green and brown robes. "_If you bring the soldiers home now, there will be nothing for them to do but sit… and wait. The Fire Nation has been waging war for over a hundred years, and so it is geared for war. It has a large army and a large navy, and most of its people make things to supply them: armor, weapons, ships, tanks, and so on. Now… the Fire Nation does not need most of this._"

Iroh had looked at him then. "_One of the challenges you will face as Fire Lord will be to help the Fire Nation transition from war… to peace. Many people will be unhappy with this. If you bring home all the soldiers now, you will only add to their number. That will not help you._"

Zuko had smiled. "_So let's just let the soldiers we don't need go!_"

"No, _Zuko! That will not help you either._" Iroh had looked sternly at him. "_If the soldiers are still in the army and navy, you have some control over what they will do. If you let them go, then you relinquish that control. They could do_ anything—i_ncluding things against you. My advice is to keep them busy. Give them things to do. Have them build—roads, bridges, tunnels, buildings, anything that you need, anywhere that you need them. But keep them busy. In time, you will bring them home. But not yet. Not unless you want to build a rebellion._"

"_But when will that be? And what do I have to do to help the Fire Nation transition to peace?_"

"_I don't know, Zuko._"

Zuko's face had fallen.

"_But I am confident you will find a way. You have been a model of change and adaptation throughout your life_. No one… _has had to do what you have done. And you have been successful._" Iroh had laid a hand on his shoulder. "_You will find a way_."

In light of that, the newcomer had Zuko's full attention.

"I see," he said. "What would you suggest, then, General…?"

"Naroz, Fire Lord. Late of the Seventeenth Division."

"So you're home from the Earth Kingdom, then."

"Yes, Fire Lord." Naroz nodded. "I would suggest that we rotate some of our troops home, but I would make it clear that they are on leave, not home to stay. I would rotate them back in a month and replace them with a fresh set."

"That would burn up a lot of fuel, but it would give my ships something to do instead of steam in circles," said the admiral. "I like the idea."

"Yes, Admiral Hino." Naroz turned to Zuko. "I would also set the troops to building new barracks in the Colonies. That will give _them_ something to do, too. And they might as well be comfortable while they wait."

"Comfortable." Xhong scoffed. "Why, when I was a recruit, if I got so much as a blanket, I would be grateful."

"We don't know how long things will be like this, General," Naroz said quietly. "Disorder is not helpful. This is something we can affect."

"That is all well and good, General," said one of the administrators, "But it has to be done in keeping with economic reality. We don't have taxes or tribute coming in hand over fist anymore, and we don't have bottomless coffers of gold. Indeed, we can see the bottoms of our coffers quite clearly."

"If it is a choice between building barracks and burning cities, I'd take the former in a heartbeat," said Naroz. "I'd think you would too. Building barracks _preserves_ tax revenue from the Colonies in that less is destroyed by the disaffected. I think we should find the money to pay for this."

"I agree," said Zuko. "Make it so. Arrange a schedule of leave for the troops. And see to it that the new barracks are built in the Colonies.

"Yes, Fire Lord." Colonel Daga, an aide, wrote down some notes. "And if they should run short of materials?"

"My lord, I would ask some of the merchants in the Colonies to coordinate," Naroz interjected. "It would spread the wealth on their end and fight their discontent."

Zuko smiled slightly. "I agree. Make the arrangements."

There was a brief silence. Daga looked around the table. "Unless there is further business…?" There was none. He bowed to Zuko. "Thank you for your time, Fire Lord." The other officers bowed as well. Zuko was about to bow—but he stopped, and kept himself to just a nod. He stood. The officers dispersed, talking among themselves. Zuko stayed to check on some things with Daga.

At the far end of the table, Xhong fixed Naroz with a glare. "Don't get too familiar with the Fire Lord, Naroz."

Naroz looked back calmly. "Why?"

"Just because you've done some fancy things on the front doesn't mean you have immediate credit here. Royal relation or no."

Naroz merely stood there. "I had planned, General, to have my deeds speak for themselves. Royal relation or no." Xhong glared at him more fiercely still, then turned on his heel and left.

Zuko walked up to him. "That was very interesting."

Naroz bowed. "Your pardon, Fire Lord. I meant no disrespect."

"None was taken. I'm curious, though, as to what he meant by 'royal relation'."

"My grandmother was Fire Lord Azulon's younger sister. We are cousins." The corner of his lip turned up. "I thought it was impolite to mention it at the meeting when we first spoke."

"Especially given General Xhong's reaction." Zuko did see something of his father's makeup in Naroz, in the general's height and broad shoulders; his face was stockier than Ozai's, though, along with the rest of him. Naroz was in his prime, in his mid-thirties, perhaps, with no gray in his beard. Zuko smiled slightly again. "It was nice to meet you, General Naroz. It is nice to know we're not alone here."

"And an honor for me, Fire Lord Zuko." Naroz bowed. "I hope to see more of you in the future."


	4. Chapter 4: The Other Half

**Chapter Four:**

**The Other Half**

Zuko walked into his spacious quarters and shut the door. He exhaled heavily… and smiled.

He took off the heavy three-tiered mantle and cape and set it on its stand, then he _streeeeetched_ and relaxed. The silence was like a warm, soothing tea, and he drank it in.

There was a knock at the door.

He went over, on his guard, and opened the door a crack. "Ah, Wa Si." He opened the door. A middle-aged man bowed and came in. He was a little portly but well-built, and nondescript otherwise. "Do you have any news?"

"No, my lord. I continue to search, as you commanded. Your father's leads are very sparse."

Zuko nodded. "I wondered. Continue to search. Ask for anything you need, and it's yours."

"Yes, my lord." Wa Si bowed again. "I will find your mother, sire… one way or another." He left.

Zuko stood there a moment, half-clothed… and sighed. He went over to the window and looked down into the inner courtyard. _There are just some things…_

There was a gentle knock at the door. "My lord. The Lady Mai is here."

That brought a smile to his face. He left his chambers. _And some things…_

The royal palanquin was far grander than the one Zuko had as Prince. It could carry more passengers too—if Zuko had desired. The palanquin came down from the Palace and went through the plaza, which had been rebuilt since the battle between Zuko and Azula. A lot of the plaza had been redone in traditional red and black, but in keeping with the optimism at the beginning of this Fire Lord's reign, others had experimented. Panels and trim in oranges and yellows could now be seen among the reds and blacks, even, in some places, tastefully-applied white. It made things feel lighter, airier… more hopeful.

If Zuko had been able to choose, he would have walked rather than getting carted around; his feet worked just as well as Fire Lord as they did when he was the Crown Prince. It had been pointed out to him, though, that maintaining the royal dignity was a must, especially given how he came to the throne. In this one way, then, he imitated his father. Maybe a few years into his reign, he could walk instead of ride. Zuko rolled his eyes. _One of these days._

People bowed respectfully as the royal palanquin passed. Some, though, especially young girls, craned for a look at the young, powerful, virile Fire Lord—and a few took an envious glance at his mysterious dark-clad moon-pale companion.

"So how was the meeting?" Mai asked.

"It went well. The news from the Colonies isn't good—but we came up with some solutions."

"I'm glad." Mai smiled. "It'll be good if things quiet down."

They rode on into the markets by the docks. "Actually, I shouldn't say _we_," Zuko said. "There was a new general at the meeting, from the Colonies. He had some interesting ideas."

"I'm glad your uncle suggested you sort out the generals in the first place."

Zuko smiled. "Yeah. Me too."

Before Zuko had left Ba Sing Se, Iroh had pointed out that it was the prerogative of every Fire Lord to select his own council. Generals, admirals, and administrators that weren't the Fire Lord's preference were asked to retire—and so long as the officer or official involved had sufficient lands granted to them to retire to, there was no cause for complaint. It made for a more harmonious council—and it had also brought Zuko some respect, that he would handle such a matter so tactfully.

"Why don't you ask your uncle to come to the capital?" asked Mai. "I'm sure he would be helpful."

"I asked him that, before we left Ba Sing Se. He said no."

"Why?"

"He said this was an important time for me. I had to do things on my own, like with the generals. And just as important, he said I had to be _seen_ doing it on my own. If he had been here, it might have looked like I was a puppet. _I_ have to be seen running things."

Mai cozied up to him. "He's a wise man, your uncle."

"Yeah." Zuko snuggled back. He looked at the stands they were passing. "Care for some fruit?"

Mai looked up, smiling slightly—then her eyes widened. "Earth Kingdom fruit!"

"Yeah. Fruit merchants from the Earth Kingdom started coming here last month."

The gilded palanquin and its guards made its way through the stalls, then eventually headed back to the palace. Some of the shopkeepers' children were playing hide 'n explode near the stalls. Kids being kids, they got too close, and the inevitable happened.

**_BOOM._**

"_My cabbages!_"

Another group met that night, down by the docks. They arrived singly or in pairs. And they kept the lights low.

"This is clearly _not_ what we were hoping for," one shadow said.

"Yes… rotating the troops home? Building new barracks to relieve overcrowding? That might actually work."

"_If_ we allow it to."

All eyes went to the speaker, and she smiled. "You know how military channels are. Some orders get… lost. Or delayed. Or misinterpreted."

A few chuckles. "Yes. And when the Fire Lord checks on his progress…"

A grin. "Frustration."

"Yes. And then human nature works for _us_."

The shadows enjoyed that… then one raised his hand. "There is another matter."

"Our spies have reported the Avatar's plans." He looked around the table. "He means to rebuild the Air Nomads."

"With what?" one scoffed. "They're all dead!"

One shadow looked at the other. "One Air Nomad escaped, obviously. There could be others."

"Let him!" another said. "Keeps him out of our hair."

"And what if he does rebuild the Air Nomads?" said another. "They have no armies, no peasants, no land, no resources, what does it matter? Besides, we searched a hundred years for them and found nothing."

"Fool." The shadow glared. "We searched for a hundred years and couldn't find the Avatar. Doesn't that say something?"

"So what if he does try to rebuild his people? Now _he's_ looking for Airbenders, just as we were. It'll take him time."

"My point exactly."

"We don't need the Avatar any stronger than he already is. If there's any obstacle to restarting the war, it's _him._ And anyone who's with him."

Another shadow laid a hand on his arm. "Let us wait a while," she said. "Let us trust in our spies. They will see what plans he forms. And when they do, we will know better where to strike. And whom."

"Including him."

"Yes." She smiled. "Including him."


	5. Chapter 5: Me, Myself, and I

**Chapter Five:**

**Me, Myself, and I**

They called it the Royal Sanitarium.

Whether anyone regained their sanity there, no one said, but there was plenty there to _keep_ you crazy... or drive you there. Gray and black brick, lots of metal, precious little light... it was a fortress from the outside world, meant to keep people _in_, not out.

The nicer parts had comfortable wooden furniture, fine linens, soft pillows, and shelves full of books and scrolls. The rooms for the more... noncompliant guests: steel bars and stone walls.

That was where Azula was... in the most secure room the Sanitarium had.

One had to make a right-angle turn to enter the room. If needed, one could speak with the room's inhabitant by way of a mirror in the corner. The mirror also served as a blow-out panel; the Sanitarium's builders did know they were dealing with Firebenders. Flame bent at the mirror would knock it down and go into a brick-lined hallway beyond.

In the room behind the bars, Azula sat on the floor, quiet and downcast. Large black marks on the walls marked some of her other moods.

"Well! That was refreshing."

Azula barely lifted her head. "Be quiet," she muttered.

"Supper by slop trough, a nice iron cup brimming with lukewarm water, and dinner entertainment to match. Simply splendid. Don't you think?"

Azula didn't answer. She looked at the floor.

"And the _baths_. Oh, the exquisite pleasure of getting dunked and scrubbed in a common tub. It just puts the Royal Spa to shame, doesn't it?"

An armor-clad Azula appeared, and bent closer. "And why? Why must you endure these delights? Because _you failed!_"

Azula's head came up. "_**You think I don't know that?**_"

"I don't think you do, my dear. Oh, I don't think you do."

"So why are you bothering?" An Azula dressed in dark Mai-like clothes appeared. "She's only going to say the _same thing_ again. Same old thing, la, dee, da. We've been here before."

"Oh, I don't know. She might say something different." A Ty Lee-dressed Azula appeared, swinging from a phantom bar in the ceiling. "She _is_ the most beautiful, most clever girl I've ever met."

Azula snapped to the new speaker. "Oh, really? So why did you hit me, if I'm so clever? If you like me so much?"

"I don't know!" Azula-Ty Lee was perplexed. "It just seemed like—"

"You're asking the wrong person, Azula," said Mai-Azula. "You did it before, and you're doing it again. You're repeating the same mistake."

"But that doesn't matter, does it?" asked armor-clad Azula. "You would have taken care of Mai, you would have dealt with Ty Lee. Ha! You even took down that miserable Zu-Zu, at long last. But you couldn't take down a simple Water Tribe peasant girl when you had the chance. What does that say?"

"It _says_ that you're not answering the question, Azula." Mai-Azula folded her arms.

Armor-Azula turned on her. "And the question is what, my _dear friend the traitor?_"

"Phhh." Mai-Azula turned away and lowered her arms, annoyed. "Like you don't even know."

"Stop it, guys!" Ty Lee-Azula flipped down from the ceiling and held her hands out. "You're not helping! Just look at her!"

"Yes, and that's the point, isn't it?" Armor-Azula said sweetly. "She can't handle it. She could have, before."

She bent over the kneeing Azula. "Look at you. _Princess_—Azula. No—_Fire Lord_ Azula. The terror of our enemies. Now you're just _prisoner_ Azula. Pathetic."

"I know I know I know I know I know..."

"You know, do you?" Armor-Azula got closer and lowered her voice, venom-sweet. "Really? Then why don't you do something about it?"

Silence.

"You used to be able to... but not now. Know why? It's a secret. Come closer."

She bent down to Azula's ear. "It's because—_you—**CAN'T!**_ _Not anymore!_"

"Are you done yet?"

Armor-Azula stopped in mid-explosion to look over at Mai-Azula... who looked ready to yawn.

"Why...?"

Armor-Azula came back around, slowly, to the Azula in the floor.

Azula was looking at Mai-Azula. "Why did you betray me?"

Mai-Azula glared at her. "Isn't it obvious? You mean you're still asking that? You really _don't know?_"

"I would think it would be obvious, my dear Azula," Armor-Azula said, her voice filled with disdain. "But since you _still_ insist on asking, I have to reply." A sneering smile filled her face. "She isn't worth it. Neither of them are."

She leaned closer. "They showed their loyalty... their true colors. And as much as you loved them, as much as you cared about them, they're still just as _weak_ as all the others! Just—like—_you!_"

Azula cringed, and slumped down, shuddering.

Then she stopped. "No."

Armor-Azula cackled. "No? No what? Is that all you can say?"

"No. No, that's not true." Azula was still looking down and her voice still had a tremor, but it was calmer. "Mai was many things... but she was never weak."

"_Really?_ Then why—" Then Armor-Azula stopped.

An Earth Kingdom green-and-black clad Azula solidified into existence. "There is a reason. Most people act for a reason, even if it doesn't make sense."

Azula looked at the newcomer with interest. "So what would it _be?_"

Mai-Azula scoffed again. "I already _told_ you, Azula. You _should_ know by now."

"That's because she's _pathetiiiiiiic!_" Armor-Azula roared.

"No." From Azula. Quietly. "No, there is a reason…. and Mai did tell me."

Briefly Mai-Azula morphed into the real Mai. "Because I _love __him._.. more than I _fear you_..." Her face then melted back into Azula's once more.

"She loves him..." Azula thought on it.

"She loves him!" Armor-Azula laughed. "_She_ loves Zu-Zu! As if you need more proof of how inferior she is!"

Azula's eyes flashed to her. "Her love for Zu-Zu did not, if you recall, affect her precision or her skill at the Boiling Rock. Ask the guards at the Boiling Rock, if you will. Ask them if that was weakness."

"So? What does that matter? She _turned on you!_ And so did Ty Lee!"

"Yes." Ty Lee-Azula nodded somberly. "She did."

"She did," Kyoshi-Azula said. "There is no disputing that. But the question is why."

"I don't know." Azula shook her head. "I never did anything to her to cause that."

Ty Lee-Azula tapped her chin. "Well, there _was_ the time you set the net on fire under her in that circus tent. And let all the animals loose. And then there was the time—"

"Okay, okay, there were a _few_ things." Azula smiled.

"But she didn't do anything against you until the Boiling Rock," Kyoshi-Azula noted. "There had to be a trigger."

Armor-Azula scoffed. "Please. Does a traitor have to have a trigger?"

Mai-Azula smiled sarcastically. "Clearly you did."

"Well, what else was I supposed to do when my best friends in the world _turned on me?_"

"Quiet." Azula held up a hand to her armored self. "I'm thinking."

"Well, that's a surprise." Mai-Azula folded her arms.

Azula's eyes flicked toward her... then she turned back to her own thoughts.

_I knew that Mai cared for Zuko... but I never imagined a situation where she would step between him and me. Where she would choose _him over me.

"Clearly you underestimated her capacity for betrayal," Armor-Azula said snippily.

"Underestimated her, perhaps," said Kyoshi-Azula. "But she has always been easy to underestimate."

Azula nodded. "Yes."

Ty Lee-Azula gave Mai-Azula an elbow. "Told you she was clever." Mai-Azula looked at her in disgust.

"Clearly I misjudged her." She paused. "But could I have seen this coming...?"

"You should have," said Armor-Azula.

"Not necessarily," said Kyoshi-Azula.

"Oh?" Armor-Azula turned on her. "She knew Mai cared for Zuko. She knew Mai would be there. And even if she didn't know Zuko would be—"

"She should instantly pull Mai back? By some incredible foresight?" Kyoshi-Azula closed on Armor-Azula, who seemed to shrink. "Time and again, the Avatar and his friends have pulled some rabbit lemur out of a hat and managed to escape. And each time, _she_—" she pointed abruptly at Azula, "—had no way to know they would do what they did. And what did she do?"

She got even closer. "Her response... was to keep trying. Until she finally caught him."

Armor-Azula laughed softly. "Yes. Ah, yes, she caught him, all right. And then that Water Tribe peasant escaped with him again!"

Mai-Azula exhaled. "Do you feel like you're doing something with all this shouting? And would good would 'trying again' do? _They're_ gone, _you're in here._"

Azula looked around her, saw the light-eating gray and black, the heavy suffocating stone... and sank to her knees. Armor-Azula smirked.

And then a bird chirped outside her small sliver of a window.

Azula went to the window and looked out... and though she didn't see the bird, she did see a sliver of sky, blue sky… and a tree. Something living outside of where she was.

She looked back... and her various incarnations seemed faded.

"I don't know," she told them. "But I do know... I won't be in here forever."

"Good, Azula."

Azula's eyes widened. She felt a chill down her back.

She turned…. and there in the mirror was Ursa.

"Good, Azula. Keep trying. You _will_ be free… some day."

"You…."

Hope faded on Ty Lee-Azula's face. Armor-Azula snickered.

"_Youuuuuuuuuu-**uuuuuuuhhhhhhh!**_" In one smooth curving motion Azula stood and blasted a torrent of blue flame at the mirror. The flame knocked the mirror down, and spent itself in the hallway beyond.

"You! You, you! **_You!_**"

Guards down the hall stood up at the noise.

"What was that?"

"Oh, she probably knocked the mirror down again. You know how she is. We'll have to set it up again."

"I'm not going down there! I don't want to get blasted!"

The second guard frowned. "Idiot. We'll close the blast door first. Come on."

They went down the hall and slowly shoved the three fingers-thick metal blast door into place. They didn't see the cause for Azula's flame, and they didn't ask. No one was in the hallway.

Azula sank to her knees again, crying. She watched the blast door slowly close. The light from the hallway torches began to fade.

A blue dragon descended from the ceiling and slowly coiled around her with a snicker. _You failed again, Azula. You're too weak. And you'll never win against yourself. Never._

_You'll never leave this place._

_You'll never leave._

_You'll never leave._


	6. Chapter 6: Homecoming

**Chapter Six:**

**Homecoming**

The trip from Ba Sing Se was uneventful, and fun in some ways. Sometimes they stopped to stay with old friends, other times villages and cities insisted on celebrating the coming of the Avatar. Sokka said that Team Avatar was finally reaping the rewards of its labors. Aang pointed out this was what he was meant to do—"Team Avatar" notwithstanding—but he did appreciate the appreciation. Other times they camped in the field and reminisced about the whole thing.

As they flew south, the weather grew warmer, then colder again as they neared the South Pole. The terrain changed. Leafy trees and green rolling hills gave way to dark green pines, cedar, and gray-white tundra, and then to the deep blue of the open ocean. Ice began to appear in the water, in long floes and towering icebergs. The floes grew larger and larger, and the temperature continued to drop. Sometimes the ocean became just saltwater rivers among islands of ice. Sometimes there was white as far as the eye could see, with light blue shadows revealing hills of ice and snow.

A bump formed on the horizon. It grew, became more distinct. And then…

Aang turned to them with a showman's flourish and smiled. "Ladies and gentlemen: the South Pole. Home of the Southern Water Tribe."

"We're home," Katara said, all but sighing. Both she and Sokka were beaming.

"Great." Toph was less than thrilled. "Days and days of flying to get to a place where I can't see at all. _And_ I get to freeze my feet off. Whoopee." She settled over the saddle edge.

"You had a chance to get some shoes at the last town we stopped at," said Katara, a little snippishly. "You should have said something then."

"Would _you_ wear a blindfold if you had to, Sugar Queen?"

"Guys," said Aang. "We're going there for everybody. And—"

A distant horn call sounded.

Sokka blinked. "That's new."

Soon they could see a new ice curtain wall separating sea from snow, with a few flat-topped circular watch towers and ice docks extending out into the sea. There were many more domed houses than before, some original and rebuilt, others brand new.

"They've been busy," said Sokka. "And—awwwwww!" His face fell. "My watch tower! They could have done something about _tha-aat!_" Sure enough, off to the side of the rebuilt wall was a dilapidated tower-ish jumble of snow and ice.

Katara grinned wryly. "Maybe they figured it was your tower to fix, O mighty warrior."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, but they could have done _something_. _I_ wouldn't have minded." After a moment of mourning, though, Sokka went back to admiring the new iceworks.

Down below, a small crowd of Water Tribe people was beginning to gather.

"What do you think it is?" asked one of the Water Tribe men.

"I don't know," said another. "It _looks_ about the size of a turtle goose, but it doesn't have any wings!"

"Silly," said one of the Water Tribe women. "When have _you_ seen a turtle goose?"

"I heard the Avatar rides on a flying bison!"

"And when have _you_ seen a flying bison? I guess you saw a bear, too!"

"I just _heard…_"

Another Tribesman pointed. "It is! It _is_ a flying bison! That must be the Avatar!"

"The Avatar!"

"_The Avatar!_"

"But… why is he here? Has something happened?"

"Look! Look there's someone with him!"

All other thoughts were lost as Katara and Sokka came into view. The speculation turned to shouts and cheers.

Hakoda and Bato were working on a freshly caught tiger seal. Bato saw the Gaang first, and gave Hakoda a nudge. Hakoda followed Bato's point—then smiled.

"Well, well," he said. "The kids are home."

o o o

The Southern Water Tribe welcomed the Gaang warmly after they landed. Aang followed after Katara and Sokka, basking in Katara's happiness at being home. Immediate preparations were made for a snow cave stable for Appa, and Momo just flew around everybody and enjoyed himself—and a few small fish, when no one was looking. However, as the Gaang came back to their igloo…

"I _am_ glad everyone's having such a good time getting reacquainted and all, but at some point I would like to see something besides _the inside of this igloo!_" Toph, now shod in Water Tribe mukluks and wrapped in every blanket in the igloo, stood there indignantly.

"Well, how come you—oh. Oh, that's right." Katara's tone changed, chagrined. "You can't see. 'Frozen water'."

"Yeah, frozen water." Toph shivered. "It's not my fault you guys grew up in an oversized snow cone."

"I've been thinking about that." Sokka laid a hand on her shoulder. "I was going to fly back to the mainland with Aang to pick up some food for Appa. We'll pick up some small rocks or something, too, and lay them out in a path between the main buildings. And I'll carry you everywhere else I can, and 'see' things for you, too."

Toph was so stunned she stopped shivering. After a moment, Katara nudged Aang. "I think she's speechless."

"I _am not!_ I just—that's an awful lot of work for just… me."

Sokka shrugged. "Hey, I'm part of the reason you're here. I owe ya."

Toph blushed. "Thanks, Sokka."

o o o

Sokka was as good as his word. The next morning he and Aang left for the fodder and gravel. Appa was patient with this new role of beast of burden, like he always was. Dispersing the gravel wasn't too big a problem, with Aang Earthbending it off of Appa's back and into place, and Sokka directing where it should go.

It took two round trips, but soon there was enough stone laid down for Toph to feel comfortable enough to go from building to building on her own. The project earned Sokka a smooch on the cheek from Toph—as well as a punch in the arm for not having thought of it in the first place.

Hakoda visited the Gaang's igloo one night. Katara and Sokka were talking quietly near the fire in the center. Aang had gone to talk to Pakku. Toph was dozing off, bundled up in every robe and blanket they could spare. She was smiling, so she had to be warm.

"May I come in?" Hakoda asked quietly.

"Hey, Dad." Sokka smiled and raised a hand. "We were just talking about getting caught up with people."

"Yeah," said Katara. "It's amazing how much has happened here in just a year!"

Hakoda smiled. "The same might be said of you two. You leave here as my son and daughter… and you come back a swordsman and a master Waterbender."

Katara blushed a little. "Aw, Dad…"

Sokka looked at the floor of the igloo, shrugging and smiling. "Yeah, well, I… guess it's true." Katara nudged him with her shoulder.

Hakoda grinned. "And modest as ever."

Sokka smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, that too."

"I'm just glad you came to visit." Hakoda raised his eyebrows. "I'm assuming this is just a visit."

Katara nodded. "Yeah, Dad. We're here on vacation."

Hakoda nodded too. "I thought that might be the case."

"You aren't mad… are you, Dad?"

Hakoda shook his head. "No, I'm not mad. I would like nothing more than for you both to come back and stay… but I know you've had a taste of the outside world. And you've helped the Avatar with _his_ work. That's heady stuff."

"Well, it's... just what we did," said Katara. "It's what we do."

Sokka puffed up a bit. "I will admit, we _are_ part of Team Avatar."

"What I mean is, you've had a chance to do things you couldn't do here," Hakoda said, smiling slightly. "You know you've done important things. You've made a difference. If you came back here to live, life might seem boring after a while."

"Yeah," said Katara, "but the South Pole is one thing that Ba Sing Se and all the other places aren't." She smiled. "It's home."

Hakoda smiled warmly. "I'm just glad you did come back… even for just a bit." He walked over to them, knelt down, and hugged them both.

They hugged him back. "I'm so glad to be back, Dad," said Katara.

o o o

Aang and Toph fell into a pattern of eating, sleeping, and hanging out with Katara and Sokka while they helped out with the tribe. But it wasn't all work and no play.

"I like the parka Gran-Gran gave me," Aang said to Katara as they were out walking. "I almost feel like she made it just for me."

"Oh? What gives you that idea?"

Aang smiled. "Have a look." He flipped on the parka's hood, and there on the front of it was an ice-blue Airbender arrow.

Katara laughed. "Well, no one else will think it's theirs!"

Soon it was just the two of them, alone on the white antarctic plains. Katara stretched. "Ahhh… It feels good to get out of the igloo. Get out and walk, get some air."

Aang tilted his head. "It seems like they're sticking you back in the same old jobs you had before you left, from what you told me."

"They kind of are, but… it's different now. It feels different, like… they're giving me more respect, taking me more seriously."

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah, it is. It's like… oh, Aang, I wondered what it would be like coming back. I thought… I wondered if I was leaving my life behind, following you. And it's back. It's all back."

Aang looked at her. "That's… great, Katara. Really great."

"I mean, it's not like I never left. It's better. They're treating me like a grownup."

"Well, look at everything you've done, Katara. You _have_ grown up. A lot!"

"I know." Katara smiled at him. "It just feels different when _they_ say that."

"Yeah." Aang smiled back. "I guess it would."

She looked at him with concern. "Oh, I'm sorry, Aang…"

"No, it's okay. I wasn't thinking about that."

Katara laid a hand on his shoulder, and stopped.

"I think Gyatso would really be proud of you. Just like I am."

Aang smiled warmly. "Thanks, Katara. That really means more to me than anything."

They kissed.

The two blue-clad figures kept walking through the white of the antarctic lands. After a while, ahead of them was a familiar sight.

Aang smiled. "Wow."

Katara nodded. "Yeah."

It was the old Fire Nation ship, locked in the ice. The old flag still fluttered at the mast; it was a bit more threadbare, having endured another year's worth of storms, but it was still there.

"You remember when we got caught in there, and we had to go through the roof of that thing?"

"Yeah." Katara smiled. "That's how it all began, sort of."

Aang grinned. "You wouldn't wanna… go back inside it, would you?"

"No!" Katara looked at him indignantly. "And get caught in there again?"

"Okay, okay." Aang kept smiling.

"Lots of memories, though."

Aang grinned mischievously. "We could sink it, I guess. Just the two of us."

"Yeah, we could… but why haven't Pakku and the others sunk it, then?"

"I don't know."

"Well…" said Katara, "If Master Pakku left it alone, then I think we should, too."

"Okay… I guess we should." Aang looked a little downcast.

They headed back for the village.

"Speaking of memories, though," said Katara, "I did have a question I wanted to ask."

"Yeah? What?"

Katara looked at him impishly.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

Aang's response... was a big grin.

o o o

When Katara and Aang came back to the village, they were covered in snow and laughing like kids. Hakoda saw that… and he also saw that they were holding hands.

He nodded once to himself. Grimly.


	7. Chapter 7: Man to Man

**Chapter Seven:**

**Man to Man**

There was a spark of light in the darkness.

Then another.

And then another.

It was the spark of steel on stone as Sokka struck the asteroid with his pick, young arm and back muscles bulging and releasing, bulging and releasing. Slowly the rock yielded its ore.

Sokka gathered the ore with his shovel, looking, measuring, gauging when he had enough raw material. Then with a manly heave, he lifted the container from the earth, walked over to the forge, and set the container in its fiery belly.

Long he waited. Through the night… into the day… and into the next night, the fire worked its magic and parted metal from dross. Every so often, with a craftsman's patience, Sokka checked the fire and shoveled in more coal when needed. He pumped the bellows, his arm muscles shining in the dim light.

With Piandao's assistant, Sokka wrestled the cask from the forge and poured out the molten metal into the waiting mold, the mold also made with great care and skill.

Again he waited, until the metal was cool enough for handling.

Sokka set to work and hammered the metal. Blow, after blow, after blow, the strokes of his hammer fell with such power and regularity, it was as if Sokka himself had become a machine of metal. Sweat streaked down the maturing biceps of the craftsman. Each strike struck sparks that lit the faces of an approving Katara and an adoring Toph, both looking on in wonder at the display of such mastery.

Then, the grindstone. The metal was stubborn, Sokka more stubborn still. Sokka's steady hands held the metal as it acquired a razor-sharp edge, sure to cleave any foe.

The crosspiece was fitted, and the finest leather and metal wire were wound into the hilt. Then, at long last, the new blade was lifted skyward, its edge catching the new day's first light. A weapon of incredible story and power had been created… a legend begun.

In the Southern Water Tribe Village, Sokka lifted his war club for emphasis. "And _that_ is how I made my space sword."

"Oooooooo!" went his largely female audience.

"Pffffft. Oh, please." Katara walked away with a look of disgust.

o o o

A few days later, Katara and Aang were walking hand in hand when Hakoda approached both of them. "Aang, I would like to talk to you."

Aang nodded. "Certainly, Chief Hakoda."

"I want to take you on a fishing trip."

"Well…" Aang looked uneasy. "Chief Hakoda, I don't eat meat—even though I know some people don't think fish is meat. And… going fishing means I would be killing the fish, so… I can't go." Aang looked even more uneasy when he finished.

"I understand. But I still would like you to come with me on the fishing trip."

Katara's eyes widened. "Oh, no. Dad, you're not going to—"

Hakoda looked at her. "Don't worry, Katara. I'll take good care of him. But there are some things that Aang and I need to talk about. Alone."

Katara groaned. And that didn't make Aang feel any better.

o o o

The next day was cloudy, but dry. Hakoda said that was good; it made for good fishing weather as they wouldn't cast much of a shadow. Frankly Aang wondered what Hakoda was fishing for.

The two of them set out in a two-seat canoe; Aang had the front seat, Hakoda the back. Aang happily helped out with the paddling; he hoped Hakoda wouldn't make him use the spears that were in the boat.

Hakoda gave some general pointers about the paddles and talked a little about what he had seen in the village since his return. Ice and water flowed by, along with the occasional towering white iceberg.

Fish breached the surface of the water, then flopped back in with a splash.

Aang exhaled. "Chief Hakoda, about the spears…"

Hakoda smiled. "Don't worry about having to use the spears; we're not fishing today. They're for protection—although I have the feeling _you_ would probably be taking care of _me_ if something were to happen."

"Oh. That's good."

"And please. Call me Hakoda."

"Okay…" Aang's uneasiness returned.

An ice floe passed by.

"How old are you, Aang?"

"Well… I guess if you count the real years, I'm a hundred and twelve—almost a hundred and thirteen, going back to when I was born. But I feel like I'm thirteen. I mean, obviously I don't have a long white beard or anything."

Hakoda nodded and smiled. "Katara and Sokka told me your story. So you feel like you're thirteen."

"Yeah, I do."

"Were you… interested in anybody before you were frozen in the iceberg?"

"You mean, like a girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"No, nobody I can think of. You see—uh, can I put my paddle down?"

"Yes, I can paddle for both of us."

Aang lifted his paddle out of the water, shook the water off of it, then awkwardly stored it inside the canoe. He turned in his seat and faced Hakoda. "You see, male and female Air Nomads are separated for most of the year—or, well, they were. Male Air Nomads lived at the Northern and Southern Air Temples, like I did, and females lived at the Eastern and Western Air Temples. I didn't really know many female Air Nomads my age. But I was about to."

Hakoda nodded. "I know you're at that age. It's an exciting time, and a little fearful."

He paddled a few more strokes. "I've noticed that you and Katara are interested in each other."

"Yeah, I sure am." Aang beamed. "She was the first thing I saw when I woke up after coming out of the iceberg. And then I got to know her, and I just… I knew I liked her, but more than normal. You know."

"Yes."

"And then eventually it… turned into love." Aang laughed. "I had a real hard time trying to tell her."

"What did you do?"

"Well, I tried to tell her, with words, but things kept happening and getting in the way." Aang chuckled. "Mainly Sokka butting in at the really wrong moment. But then, on the Day of Black Sun, just before we attacked the Fire Nation, I had a chance to tell her—but I didn't have enough time. And I thought I might die, so… I kissed her."

Hakoda's paddle paused in midstroke. "You kissed her."

"Yeah, I did."

"What did she do?"

Aang sighed and smiled, a little exasperated. "She didn't _do_ much of anything—or say anything, either. She didn't even mention it later. I waited, and... then when we were on Ember Island, I kissed her again."

Hakoda tilted his head. "You kissed her again."

"Yeah. And boy, she said something then—something about being confused."

Hakoda hid a smile and went back to paddling. "I see."

"It was disheartening. But then, at Ba Sing Se, after the war was over? _She_ kissed _me_."

Hakoda stopped paddling again. "_She_ kissed _you_."

"Yeah…" Aang took on a dreamy look. "She did. It was just the most…" His voice trailed off.

Hakoda hesitated. "Did you… do anything else?"

"You mean, like hugging?"

"No—not like hugging." Hakoda considered his next words. He brought the canoe alongside an ice floe, then stopped the canoe with his paddle.

He then turned back to Aang. "Aang… forgive me for asking this, but I think you know about the basics of life… how children are made."

Aang looked indignant. "Of course I know that, Chief Hak—I mean, Hakoda."

"I'm sorry. I had to say that." Hakoda looked at Aang. "You may also remember from what the monks taught you that, when you reach this age, you start to feel the urge to make a child. Even if having one is the last thing you want to do."

Aang's eyes widened.

"Oh. I see." He shook his head. "No. No, that's the last thing I want to do to Katara right now."

"I'm glad to hear that. Why, though?"

Aang looked at him. "I love her."

"I sensed that," Hakoda replied dryly.

"And I don't want her to feel trapped, or be a burden on her or make one for her." Aang's gaze drifted down. "If I have a child… I want to be ready for it, be a good father for it—and I don't think I'm ready. I know I'm getting close to the time to when I _can_ have them—I mean, I can make them—but I don't feel old enough. I don't feel wise enough. I don't feel… like I know enough about life yet, so I can teach them."

Aang awkwardly looked back to Hakoda. "I've never asked Katara about it, so I don't know if she's ready either. It's kind of… something I'm not ready to talk about yet."

Again Hakoda hid a smile. "I see."

"I mean, I've thought about marrying Katara and having children, but—but not _now_." Aang threw up his hands. "There's _so_ much to do! There's so much going on between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom with the end of the war, so much to get straightened out."

He looked back down again. "If I had a child now… I'd want to be with them. I'd want them to be mine." He returned to Hakoda. "I want them to be _ours_, Katara's and mine. I don't want to just… turn them over to someone else—or just leave them with Katara. That wouldn't be right; they're _our_ responsibility. _My_ responsibility."

Aang looked at Hakoda, and shrugged and smiled. "Things are better if I wait. I'll be older, I'll be wiser, I'll be better able to take care of them and teach them… and Katara will be too. It's just… better."

Hakoda raised an eyebrow. "Some _would_ say that's one solution to your problem, though—your goal of restoring the Air Nomads. If you have children, they more than likely will be Airbenders."

"I know." Aang nodded. "I'm hoping they will be Airbenders—when I do have children." He shrugged again. "The people that say that will just have to wait. It's not fair to me, and it's not fair to Katara."

"I'm glad to hear that." Hakoda gave his paddle a precautionary shake, then put it across his knees and brought his hands together.

"I don't know what lies in store for you and Katara, but I did want to sound you out about certain things. I also wanted to tell you how I felt about you—that I think you're honest, and forthright." Aang made to thank him, but Hakoda held up a finger. "Within reason. Bato told me what happened at the monastery—when you were going to throw away the map we sent to him."

"Oh… oh, yeah." Aang went red. "Um, about that…"

"I'm not going to ask about that—but I can guess at some of your reasons. I'm going to consider it to be in the past."

Hakoda looked Aang in the eye. "In any case… you had time and opportunity in Ba Sing Se to do something with Katara you shouldn't have, and you didn't take advantage of that. Katara is not yet of marrying age—and having a child before then is a problem. I think if there's anyone I can trust on this, it's you. I think you've demonstrated that—by what you've done, and by what you've said."

Aang smiled warmly. "That means a lot to me, Ch—Hakoda."

Hakoda returned the smile. "It does to me too." He looked around. "I think we can head back to the village now." He looked at Aang wryly. "Unless I can interest you in some fish."

Aang grinned. "No thanks. I think I'll pass."


	8. Chapter 8: See Voyage

**Chapter Eight:**

**See Voyage**

There was a quiet joy among the bureaucrats, the record-keepers of Ba Sing Se. Others might call them paper-pushers, but they knew who they were, and there was a quiet _esprit de corps_ among them about it. They were the keepers of knowledge.

Each piece of paper filed in its own appropriate file was a piece of information. Combined, they painted a picture of the world, a picture no one else had complete access to. Individually or altogether, the right information in the right hands at the right time could stave off disaster, bring new prosperity to the Kingdom's people, or strike a killing blow against their enemies. It was this that enlightened the leaders of the Earth Kingdom.

Whether the Earth Kingdom's leaders themselves were enlightened… well. The record-keepers could only do so much. But the knowledge was there.

This was the storehouse of knowledge that Aang had asked the Earth Regent to search through. Now, in addition to enlightening the kingdom, the bureaucrats surged forward with new purpose: they would help the Avatar rebuild his people. Truly this was a noble task, and a good down payment on the debt they owed the Avatar.

The knowledge Long Feng was told to seek was very different. He was given a job in Ba Sing Se's sewer system, far beneath the city. Rates of flow, lists of chokepoints, and possible solutions to blockages were now his line of work. Unfortunately for him, some of that data required personal verification.

The job stunk. Literally.

He reacted with distaste at first, but that was understandable. After that, he made the best of things and got on with the job. He did it well; too well, some thought, thinking Long Feng had to be up to something.

He didn't fraternize with the other much, keeping to himself most of the time. He did help others with his knowledge of the bureaucracy. That earned him points in some quarters, thinking he was fitting in, and cost him some in others, figuring he was looking for allies. He was indifferent to it all. He did his job, demonstrated his competence, and waited for better opportunities.

And occasionally, he smiled.

o o o

Sokka came into the Gaang's igloo to get something and noticed Toph in a corner, bundled up and keeping warm. "Hey, Toph."

"'Sup."

"Not much. Fishing, igloo repair." He smiled. "Heh. Finally got some work in on my watch tower."

"_Your_ watch tower. Oh, yes. Very important."

"Hey, I know it's not needed as much anymore, I just thought I ought to fix it. So it's fixed, you know."

"Uh-huh."

Sokka thought he heard the ghost of a smile there, even under all the furs.

He started going through his things to find what he needed. "So whatcha doin'?"

"Oh, nothing. Trying to keep from freezing."

"That's nice."

For a moment, the only sounds were from Sokka rummaging through his stuff.

"Sokka—I'm literally _doing—nothing._ I really am trying not to freeze."

"So why don't you go out and do something?"

Silence.

"Are you kidding me? _I can't see_—remember? And those stone pathways you made for me are nice, and the people in the other igloos are understanding, I guess, but I don't have that much to talk about with them, you know? I'm not into sewing or whatever. So I don't really have a reason to go out." Toph folded her arms under the furs.

"You mean Katara didn't include you in her group?"

"She _did._ Like I said, not interested."

Sokka thought for a moment, and then inspiration struck.

"Toph, I promised you that I would take you around and 'see' things for you, and I haven't kept that promise." He held out a hand to her. He knew she wouldn't see it, but he wanted to make the gesture. "Wanna come with me?"

Toph looked suspicious. "Where are you going?"

"Out fishing. My dad's about to leave with one of the ships."

"Sokka, I got sick to my stomach the last time I was on a ship. Do you remember that sub? What makes you think this'll be any better?"

"Because in the sub, there wasn't anything to see. This time, there will be. Trust me."

Now she was dubious. "Trust you."

Sokka smiled. "Don't worry, you'll see. Or rather I will, for you."

o o o

Hakoda welcomed them aboard, then turned to Sokka. "I know you made a promise, Sokka, but try not to let it distract you from your work. And remember, _you're_ responsible for her safety."

"Don't worry, Dad. I've got that part all figured out." He tied a rope to one of the masts, then reached down and tied the rope around Toph's waist.

"Hey! What are you—" Toph reached down and felt the rope around her waist, then felt that the rope led away to something else. "You're tying me to something? And I'm supposed to gain confidence from this?"

"Hey, it's just a precaution. Suki told me you had trouble swimming, so I thought I'd be extra careful."

Serpent's Pass came to mind, and how Suki saved her from drowning instead of Sokka. "Oh. Yeah." Toph blushed.

Then she hoped Sokka didn't see it.

And off they went.

Sokka told her of the towering tall white icebergs and the long, flat ice floes. He talked about the deep blue of the ocean against the light blue of the sky, how they were both the same color, but so dark below, so light above, and such a contrast where they met. He also told her how the sun sparkling on the water, the little diamonds of light flashing back at them.

Hakoda and his crew cast their net overboard, and waited. "The men just threw the nets over the side," said Sokka. "The strings are thin, off-white in color, and we weave 'em together in a grid."

"Sokka... I know what a net looks like."

"Well, I thought you'd want to know." Sokka cracked a wry grin. "Would you believe we use tiger seal intestines to make 'em?"

"_Tiger seal intestines?_ Okay—ew."

Sokka laughed. "Yeah, we do. We take them and clean them real well, and we use them for string. Although from what Dad says, we're getting more cotton string from the Earth Kingdom these days."

Now it was Toph who cracked a wry grin. "So you're stringing me along, then."

"No, I'm no—" Then Sokka got the joke and cracked up. "Good one."

She brushed her glove-covered fingernails on her parka. "Like I'd do otherwise."

A while later, there was a huge splash on the left side of the ship. Sokka ran over. "Toph! Come over here! Ya gotta see this!"

Slowly and uneasily, Toph plodded across the rolling wooden deck, tether rope trailing behind. "All right, all right..."

"There are a couple of elephant whales on this side of the ship, and one just jumped out of the water and fell back! They're huge and long and gray, with big long paddle-like flippers. And they have this hose-like trunk on the top of their heads!"

Another elephant whale breached the surface of the ocean and trumpeted.

"I hear it!" cried Toph. "I hear it!"

"Yeah, it just soared up out of the water! And now it's—"

The elephant whale crashed back in and sent up a shower of spray. Some of the spray reached Toph and Sokka; they spluttered and laughed.

Sokka looked away, following the elephant whales. Then the waves from the whale's reentry reached the ship.

It was gentle at first—the ship pitched up and down only a little more than usual—but then the ship kept going higher… then lower… higher… then lower…

Toph was fine at first… but since she couldn't see the horizon, she had nothing else to focus on except the up… and down… and up… and down… and her stomach was telling her all about it.

"Uh… Sokka…"

"Hmm…" Sokka looked further away. "I wonder where they migrated from."

"Sokka…"

"I mean, they could be from the Earth Kingdom, or maybe from the around the Fire Nation. You never know."

Toph burped. "_Sokka…_"

"Hey, maybe they came from the _North_ Pole. Wouldn't that be something?"

"_Sokka_, I think I'm gonna be _sick!_"

Some of the men in the stern heard that, and chuckled sympathetically.

Sokka turned back her way. "No, you're not. Ride the waves, like I do. Oh—you can't see. Here." Sokka took her hand and placed it on his chest. "Do what I do. Let your legs rock and roll with the waves."

Toph wasn't expecting contact with Sokka, let alone being able to feel his heartbeat, even muffled through his furs. She had felt his heartbeat before, of course—but not like this. Her face went blank.

She did feel how his torso stayed relatively upright while the ship rolled. She felt Sokka's body react in rhythm with the waves, bending back... and forth… back… and forth…. and through contact with him, her body did the same. She bent… and bent back. Bent… and bent back. At least her body did. Her mind… just hummed. Happily.

The two swayed back and forth, in time with the waves.

Soon she didn't feel queasy anymore.

Sokka smiled. "There. You see?"

"Yeah, I do." Toph smiled—and punched him lightly in the belly. "You should have warned me those waves were coming!"

"I was _gonna_ do that—you just didn't give me a cha—"

"Hey, you two!" Hakoda gestured. "Come help with the nets!"

Sokka smiled. "Come on. This you can do too." He took her hand and led her toward the rear of the ship, and together with the crew, they helped haul in the net. It was slippery wet work, and with all the exertion, Toph didn't feel cold anymore.

"The net's about a third full with all kinds of wriggling eels and fish," Sokka said. "Not great, but we won't go hungry. The fish aren't all that colorful, like we saw in the Earth Kingdom. I wonder if that's because they'd stand out more here and get eaten... these fish are mainly gray or silver, not real flashy." He grinned. "But they taste good!"

"Yeah." Toph smirked. "It figures _this_ is where you would have taste."

"Hey, I like what I like." Sokka picked a fish out of the net and brought it near her. "This is one of my favorites."

"Hey, what're you—whaddaya want me to do, smell it? I know what fish smells like, Sokka!"

"Not like this you don't. Here. Trust me."

_Again with the 'trust me'_, she thought. "Okay... but I'm gonna hit you with it if I don't like it!"

Sokka nodded. "Deal."

He held it under her nose. She closed her eyes and took a whiff—and her eyes flew open. "It doesn't smell fishy at all! I smell salt, and water... I smell the sea, mostly. But no fish."

"Yup." Sokka grinned. "Fresh from the sea."

o o o

"So that's your day job," Toph said as they sat at the fires that night.

"One of 'em," Sokka replied. "Listen, next time I get a free day, I'll take you out to the ice, and we can see the penguins and tiger seals. And the next time there's an aurora, I'll come get you so you can 'see' it. It's really something—like someone hung curtains of glowing colors in the night sky."

"Sure. I'd like that."

"Hey, Toph!" called Katara. "I heard you went fishing with Sokka today."

"Yep. Sure did."

"What'd you think?"

Toph thought over everything that she'd 'seen' that day.

"Eh." She shrugged nonchalantly. "It was all right."


	9. Chapter 9: Fathers: Rated T

**Chapter Nine:**

**Fathers**

A cloaked figure walked to the prison in the Fire Nation capital at night. The guards paid it no heed. One of the guards started to salute, but she was hissed back to her place.

Past a certain point, the figure lit a torch and walked alone. The hall was completely dark; none of the torches on this level were lit. There was only one prisoner on this level, and he was so well guarded from without, there was no need to have guards here within.

The figure walked the remaining distance and set the torch in the bracket outside the cell. A few twists of the keys, and the door was open.

Ozai awoke, and blearily looked at the figure. When he realized who it was, all signs of sleep left him. He glared murderously. "_You_."

"Surprised?"

"Not really, no. Although Azula told me what you did." He laughed once, quietly. "And she would have none of you."

"Ah, yes. Azula. And where is she now, pray tell?" Ozai looked away. "It's a shame that such a masterful player… is now out of the game."

Ozai glared at the figure again. "What do you want?"

"Don't worry, Ozai. I'll take what I want in a moment." The figure took a crossbow out from beneath its robes. "I just wanted to enjoy it." It cocked the crossbow, turned it, then cocked it again. It armed the crossbow with arrows.

"Enjoy it…" Then it dawned on Ozai what the figure wanted. His eyes widened. "Guards! _Guards!_"

The figure let the echo fade.

"They can't hear you. There's no one else on this level."

Ozai's gaze fell to the floor as he realized he had no time left. Then he drew in a deep breath.

"You say you want to take it. Then let me diminish your pleasure. Here. Let me give it to you." Ozai tore open his rags and bared his chest. "There! Let me give you a good target, since you're such a coward!"

"Coward?" said the figure, amused. "Name-calling, Ozai? Now? I had honestly thought better of you." It pulled the trigger. Then again.

An arrow struck Ozai in the chest. Then another. He staggered. He flailed, trying to find something to hold onto, but he was in the middle of the room. Slowly his strength left him, and he sank lower and lower.

He crashed to the floor, spasmed a few times, and breathed his last.

The figure placed the crossbow on the floor, then left.

o o o

Ozai was discovered in the morning. The news reached Zuko soon after, and he went to the prison with all speed.

"Who else knows?"

"The guards who found him… yourself, and myself, my lord," said the officer. "They're from the special unit. Given the nature of the prisoner, they knew not to talk. They also found this." The officer nudged the weapon with his foot. "On the floor, outside the bars."

Zuko glared. "An Earth Kingdom double crossbow."

"I've started a search for the murderer, my lord. We'll find them. And we'll dispose of the body, so that—"

"No! Stop!"

Two attendants who were about to lift Ozai froze.

Zuko looked at the floor in thought. "Leave everything as it was. Every last thing. And summon two of the court painters. They are to paint this scene, exactly as it is."

"But my lord, this is a rather… disturbing scene. I don't know if the painters could—"

"I know. But they have to. Just as I do. I have no choice. We must take down whatever details we can. And when the court painters are done…" Zuko thought on it… then exhaled. "We will cremate my father—but privately."

"But…" Then the officer thought better of it, and nodded. "Yes, Fire Lord."

Zuko waited for the court painters to arrive so he could personally give them their instructions. He heel-sat for a moment, then changed his mind and sat full on the floor; it might be a long wait.

He looked at his father's body and felt a complex wave of things. Ozai had been his judge… his tormentor… his model… the definition and source of his honor, when he had yet to learn to define it for himself… his devil… and his father. Biologically, at any rate.

He had also been the only one with any clue as to Ursa's fate.

In the quiet, before the painters arrived, Zuko sorted through how he felt about each, and changed moment to moment between sorrow, bewilderment… and rage.

o o o

Hakoda and Bato were sitting by the ice docks working on a net when Katara came by. "Hey, Dad. Hey, Bato."

Bato nodded to her. "Hi, Katara," said Hakoda.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." Hakoda gestured at the net. "You can help with the net if you want."

She smiled sheepishly. "I didn't do that well a few years ago."

"That's all right; I can check your work later." He finished a knot, then looked up. "Something on your mind?"

"No, just… nothing going on right now, looking for something to do."

Hakoda went back to work on the net. "_I_ could find something for you to do…" he said with a bit of a smile.

Years ago, that meant chores—usually unwanted ones. "No, no, that's all right," Katara said quickly. She sat and scrounged for some tools.

Hakoda grinned. "So I'm still cool enough to hang out with, then."

"What, are you kidding? Always."

They worked on tears in the net for a while. The ocean waves lapped onto the ice nearby, making a gentle _shoosh_-ing sound. Once every so often, though, Katara looked over at Hakoda. She didn't say anything; she just looked, then went back to her network.

Bato noticed. After she kept glancing at Hakoda, Bato tied off one last knot, then stood and stretched. "I think I'll have a look at the boat. I'll see you later." He nodded to both of them and left.

Hakoda nodded in response. "See you later," Katara said.

They continued working for a bit, cutting away old, frayed twine, tying new string into place, and binding it tightly into the net.

Katara put down her hooked knife. "Dad?"

Hakoda kept working—but he smiled. "Yes?"

"Did you ever think about not coming back?"

"Back from what?"

Katara shrugged. "After the war, I mean."

"No. We never thought about not coming back. We wanted to go home."

"So you… never thought about exploring, or doing something else for a while. You didn't feel like finding out what you could do or anything. You could have done whatever you wanted to."

"Katara…" Hakoda finished the knot he was working on, then looked up. "I couldn't have done that. I'm the chief. That was never an option." Now it was his turn to shrug. "We did stop now and then on our way home… and we did make a few detours to see some things… but we had been away from home for three years. What did you think we'd do?"

An awkward shrug from Katara. "I don't know—I just…"

Hakoda tilted his head. "I have the feeling there's another question there—maybe about yourself." Katara looked away. "Do you feel guilty for not being here?"

"Yeah… sometimes. Especially since I've been home." Katara looked up again. "I miss you, I miss Gran-Gran… I miss being here. Sometimes I wonder if you need me here, if I should be here instead."

"I'm never going to tell you you're not needed, Katara… but your situation is different. We have enough hands here to do what we need." He gestured at the large community ice domes. "Even a bit more, now. You don't _have_ to be here. I do."

"Yeah, I know." Katara smiled sheepishly. "It's just that… with you being gone for so long… for me to be gone on _you_, it just feels like… like _I'm_ running out on _you_. I _feel_ bad." She shrugged and smiled. "And I miss you."

"I didn't say I had a problem with _that_," he said wryly.

She gave him a look—then all but tackled him with a hug, net and all. He hugged back, then held her at arm's length and looked at her. "I miss you too, Katara… very much. But I want you to be happy. I think you would be happy here, again, but I think you would be giving up a part of your life to stay. I don't want you to do that."

"I know that Aang's important to you, too." Hakoda smiled. "And that you're important to _him_."

Katara smiled warmly. "He is. —But he'd never replace you, Dad!" she said quickly. "He'll never replace you."

Hakoda laughed. "I'm glad to hear that. I know this is somewhat about him, too."

He looked her in the eye. "Let me tell you something, Katara. As the Avatar's friend, you have seen and done things that I could only dream of—maybe—when I was your age… and I know you're going to do a whole lot more."

He came closer. "You have a chance to do all that. You don't have to worry about us, and I'm glad that you do." He smiled. "I'm glad that you do. But you don't have to. When we really need you, I'll call."

Hakoda's smile grew even more gentle. "I don't know where your path with Aang will lead—but so long as you take care of each other, I'm not about to get in the way."

Katara smiled, and tears formed in her eyes. "I will visit, you know."

Hakoda beamed, then hugged her and held her close.

"That's all I could ever ask for, Katara."


	10. Chapter 10: Not Going

**Chapter Ten:**

**Not Going**

The days went by for the Gaang at the South Pole, some of them quiet, some not, but all good. More than one blizzard hit the South Pole and kept them all inside; Katara and Aang didn't mind too much.

During those days, Aang saw Katara becoming more involved with the Tribe, reconnecting, picking up where she left off. She often told him about the little things at night, stories, what they did, who she did it with. Aang did feel good about that, about Katara becoming a part of the Tribe again.

Other nights, though, an uneasy whisper asked him: if this was what Katara wanted… then what?

One day a pigeon goose appeared in the sky over the South Pole, with message canisters tied to its legs.

Bato handed one of the canisters over. "It's for you, Aang."

Aang read the message. He sighed. "There's trouble in the Liberated lands again. Both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom."

He lowered the message. "Vacation's over. We have to go."

o o o

Katara headed for the Gaang's igloo as soon as she heard the news. She felt the call to action; the Avatar was needed again, and so was she.

As she packed, though, she thought over the past few weeks—the fun things, penguin sledding with Aang again… being together again with old friends and family… finding out what happened after Katara and Sokka had gone looking for Aang… what had happened when Hakoda and the men of the tribe came back… being with her dad again…

Most especially being with Hakoda.

She sighed, and smiled. It was taking on a bittersweet taste now. She wiped away a tear and laughed a little. _Good vacation_, she thought.

Hakoda entered the igloo. "I just heard the news."

"Yeah." Katara wiped her eyes and smiled. "We'll be leaving soon."

"I'm glad you could stay as long as you did."

She went over and hugged him. "I'm sorry we have to go…"

He shook his head. "That's all right, Katara... it's all right. You're doing what you have to do." She hugged him more tightly.

They held each other close.

Hakoda broke the hug. "I'll see you again before you leave, I promise." He gave her another little squeeze, then left.

Katara went back to packing... or tried to. Thoughts kept getting in the way, slowing her down; sometimes she just stood there, holding something and thinking. More than once she looked to the doorway where Hakoda had gone. _I know we have to... I_ know _we have to_...

Eventually she sighed and shook her head. She left the Gaang's igloo and walked around, taking in the sights, the sounds, and the smells of the village one last time, savoring them, trying to pack in as many memories as she could.

"Hey, Katara, you packed yet?" Sokka. Of course.

"No, almost."

"Well, hurry up! And don't forget anything, because we don't know when we're coming back!" He hurried off.

She frowned after him and kept walking. _Self-important little... of course I know that! I don't know when we're coming back, either—_

Then a thought struck her. She came to a complete stop.

_Wait a minute…_

Katara stood there as she thought through a burst of inspiration, sparked by Sokka's words. Her eyes widened. _That's it!_

She went off after Sokka.

o o o

Katara found the rest of the Gaang loading Appa for the journey.

"I want to stay a little longer."

Aang froze in mid-motion in Appa's saddle, not taking the pack Sokka was passing up to him. His eyes widened. "What?"

"Katara, we have to go!" said Sokka. "They need us!"

"I know, and I want to go, too. But we've been separated from Dad for so long... and now I have the chance to be here. I want to stay a bit longer."

Aang wafted himself down from Appa's saddle. "Katara, we can always come back someday," Sokka said, spreading his free arm.

"I know. That's what I was thinking about."

Sokka looked puzzled. "You lost me."

"Look—I just want to stay a few more weeks. When I'm ready, you can pick me up, or I can head for a rendezvous point. We have ships heading to the Earth Kingdom and back all the time now—so why not?"

"Because... we thought you were coming with us," Aang said. "I thought you were coming with me."

"I know..." Katara stepped closer to Aang. "That's what I thought too. But I don't know when I'll have the chance to do this again. We're here, now; I don't know when we'll be down here again. I want to be with Dad now... while I have the chance."

Aang looked at her sadly. "Katara, I don't want to leave without you."

"I know…" Katara grew sad too. "I want to be with _both_ of you, but I can't—and I'll be with you again when I'm done here—"

"Katara, it took us _weeks_ to get down here in the first place!" Sokka exclaimed.

"I know—"

"So as soon as we get up there, we're supposed to turn around and fly back?"

"No, that's why I said I'd come north when I'm ready."

"You're not making much sense. Why can't we just visit Dad again the next—"

"_Because it could be_ years _before that happens again_," Katara said suddenly. "You said it yourself the other night. First we have to sort out what's happening at the border. Then Aang has to get the list with the people to look for. Then he has to start searching for them. And I don't know how many people he'll have to look for or how many places he'll have to search, but _I don't want to wait that long before I can come down here again_."

Katara looked like she was about to cry. "There's _always_ something that going to come up, _always_ something more important than coming down here. I have the chance _now_ to be here. I don't know when it's going to come again." She looked at the snow underfoot. "I'm sorry."

They were quiet for a moment: Toph, off to the side, not saying a word; Katara, on the verge of tears; Aang, about to cry himself; Sokka, unable to believe his ears.

Aang swallowed and gathered himself, then looked at Katara. "Katara... okay." She looked up. "I want you to be with me, but... I can wait a while. I've waited this long." Tears came to his eyes as he smiled. "I'll be looking for you as much as I will be for Airbenders."

Tears ran down Katara's cheeks. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." They hugged fiercely, then separated and kissed; Aang was crying now, too, and their tears mingled.

After they parted, Sokka coughed awkwardly. "I, uh, hate to suggest this and break up Team Avatar, but, uh... I think it'd be good if someone came with Katara, when she's ready to head back north."

Aang was surprised. "_You too?_"

"Well, if you can come back for Katara, you can come back for me, too!" Sokka said defensively. "I miss my dad too, you know. _And_ it's better if there's two of us on the way back than one."

Aang was shocked again—but after a long moment, he nodded. "Yeah... yeah, that makes sense."

"Hear, hear!" said Toph. "Sugar Queen would get lost on her own, anyway. Two dunderheads together are better than one."

"Hey!" Sokka glared at her. "Who're you calling a dunderhead?"

Toph smirked. "Same one I'm calling a fishface, Fishface."

Aang turned to her before Sokka could get another verbal shot off. "So are you staying too, then?"

Toph raised her hands. "Hey, don't look at me. I want to get back to where I can _see. I_ thought this was a vacation."

"So did I." Aang looked out at the open ice. He felt like walking away, pretending this had never happened, like somehow not being here would prevent it from happening… except he knew full well that it had.

He turned back to Katara.

"I guess I have to let you go, for now." He felt the tears welling up again. "I don't want to."

"I know." Katara smiled, the tears coming back for her, too. "Thank you."

Aang engulfed her in a bearhug, which she fiercely returned after she regained her balance. He let up a little, only to kiss her. "I do this, only because I can come back. And I will. I promise."

"I'm going to hold you to that." They kissed again.

Aang let go, and turned to Sokka, who gave him a Water Tribe armclasp. "I meant what I said about you being family," Sokka said.

"I haven't had a brother in a hundred years," Aang replied. "I'm glad I found one." They hugged.

Katara turned to Toph. "Toph, I—"

"Yeah, yeah, keep yourself out of trouble. I'll bring your boyfriend back." Katara frowned, but still hugged her—which Toph returned.

Toph gave Sokka a no-look punch—or tried to. Sokka dodged it, then gave her a hug. "You take care of yourself." Toph was shocked for a moment, and then she squeezed him hard around the middle.

After everything was packed and stowed, Katara and Sokka said their goodbyes to Appa and Momo, and Aang took his leave of Hakoda. "Keep me informed," said the Water Tribe chief. "We'll help however we can."

Aang nodded. "I will. Appa, yip-yip!" Appa took off, and they all waved goodbye.

"Katara, I love you!" Aang yelled.

Katara cupped her hands around her mouth. "I love you too!"

They watched Appa grow small in the distance. After a while, Sokka went back inside. Katara stayed there, watching, thinking… and sad.

Then a sky bison roar, far off in an empty sky… and they were gone.


	11. Chapter 11: Speaking of Murder

**Chapter Eleven:**

**Speaking of Murder**

Iroh stood in his apartment on top of the Jasmine Dragon teashop, holding a seashell. It was from the Fire Nation spa he and Zuko visited before they went on the run, and it was the only one he had left.

_I will treasure these for_ years _to come_, he had said.

A scroll lay on the table with news. None of it was good.

He looked around his quarters again one last time. _I wish I could have enjoyed my retirement a little longer_, he thought.

He stowed the shell inside his travel bag, then he slung the bag over his shoulder and left the apartment. He spoke with his assistant manager, who was dumbstruck by what he said, then he went to the owner of the Jasmine Dragon and handed in his resignation. That done, he left Ba Sing Se and headed west—for the Fire Nation Colonies.

o o o

General Xhong was fit to boil, yet he still kept his voice even. His flushed appearance gave more impact to what he said; despite his moderate tone, his listeners felt an explosion was coming.

"I would like an explanation as to why we are only hearing about this _now_."

Colonel Daga cleared his throat. "It was the Fire Lord's intention to keep this information tightly contained."

"I understand that, Colonel Daga. This is very explosive. However, as members of the Fire Lord's council, it is our duty to _help_ him contain such situations. And we cannot do that if we don't know what's going on!"

Admiral Hino raised an eyebrow. "Are you questioning the Fire Lord's decision, General Xhong?"

Xhong turned his head sharply to look at the Admiral. "I am not questioning the Fire Lord's decision. I would merely point out to the Fire Lord, as one of the _loyal_ members of his council, that in the future I would be better equipped to deal with what is going on if I knew about it!"

"General Xhong." Naroz's voice was very matter-of-fact. "The death of a former Fire Lord is a sensitive matter. Particularly this one, given circumstances."

" 'Given circumstances'. Ozai was murdered. An Earth Kingdom weapon was found near his cell, dropped there or conceivably left there by the murderer. Are you about to tell me we should _not_ have known about this sooner?"

"The Fire Lord was correct in wanting to control the release of that information."

" 'The release of that information.' " Xhong scowled. "There is a difference, Naroz, between letting that information loose so even the peasants know, and letting _us_ know so we can head off problems, and you know it!"

"Regardless, General Xhong, you know _now_."

"Yes, I know now! And who else knows?"

"The murderer does."

"And that's supposed to help us _how?_"

"I think we need to think about this," said another general.

Zuko lanced into the argument. "What would you suggest, General Togo?"

"Thank you, Fire Lord." The general bowed. "Just to think about the facts." She looked at the others. "I think that at this point, Ozai was either just a dynastic pawn… or a target." She turned again to Zuko. "He could have been used to depose you, Fire Lord, but without his bending, he could only rule through bluff and the force of his will. He could have been used as a puppet—but not likely."

She turned back to the rest of the council. "As a target, he serves his murderer as a deliberate provocation. The Earth Kingdom weapon points blame at the Earth Kingdom. Why?" Togo looked back to Zuko. "To force the Fire Lord to restart the war."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "And the chance that it _was_ an Earth Kingdom assassin?"

"Low, in my opinion. Unless again, someone wanted to restart the war. On the Earth Kingdom side."

"That would be foolish," said Xhong. "Our troops are concentrated in the Colonies. They could strike and strike hard, very quickly. And Ozai's death would only inspire them."

"Or enflame them." Naroz looked at the others. "I think the possibility exists that we have a traitor."

The room went silent.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Naroz turned to him. "We find them."

o o o

"A traitor." Mai's eyes narrowed. "It's possible."

"I know," Zuko replied. "I know some people aren't happy with the end of the war, but… to go so far as to murder my father…"

They were sitting in his chambers, Zuko mainly talking, Mai mainly listening—and Zuko couldn't tell her how much her sympathetic ear meant to him. He also had a feeling he didn't have to—but he would. Somehow.

There was a knock at the door. Zuko looked over. "Enter."

It was Naroz. "Fire Lord. Lady Mai." He bowed slightly, and Mai nodded in reply. He turned to Zuko. "My lord, I would speak with you privately."

Zuko frowned. "Lady Mai can be trusted with anything you have to say, General Naroz."

"Very well." Naroz clearly wasn't happy with that. He straightened. "My lord, I have to raise my concerns with the way you handled Fire Lord Ozai's funeral."

"Oh?" Zuko's frown grew deeper. "And what _exactly_ would you raise your concerns about, General?"

Naroz bowed slightly again. "Your pardon, sire… but I think you should have either held the funeral in full view of everyone or not held it at all—either hold the full ceremony a Fire Lord merits, or burn the corpse and scatter the ashes."

"What?" Zuko stood. "Why would I do that with my father's body?"

"As I said in the meeting, Fire Lord, the death of a former Fire Lord is a sensitive matter. The private ceremony you held might suggest that you have something to hide. Especially to those looking for excuses."

"And a full ceremony wouldn't? Or doing it in secret?"

"Not in my opinion, my lord."

Zuko glared. "You are welcome to your opinion, General Naroz. Just be careful what you do with it."

"Of course, sire. I know what's done is done." He straightened. "I say what I say now for the good of the state, and to promote caution in the future."

"Very well, General. Is there more?"

"No, Fire Lord."

"You are dismissed."

"My lord."

Naroz bowed and left—but on the way out he ran into Wa Si, who bowed. "General Naroz."

"Wa Si." Naroz nodded, and left. Wa Si kept an eye on him as he left.

Zuko relaxed slightly. "Ah, Wa Si. I could use some good news."

Wa Si bowed. "I have none, my lord. I wish I did."

Zuko came closer. "I wanted to talk to you about the murder of my father."

"Yes, my lord. I had heard about that." Wa Si bowed lower still. "My condolences."

"You did?" Zuko's eyes widened. "Well… maybe that's a good sign."

Zuko came closer still. "I want you to find out who did it."


	12. Chapter 12: The List

To answer your question, Theadora, when I wrote the last chapter, I didn't think Iroh had been given ownership of the teashop; I thought he was just the manager. Yesterday I went back to doublecheck to the episode where they talked about that, number 2-17, "Lake Laogai".

While the investor did ask Iroh, "how would you like to have your own teashop?" he also said that Iroh would have "complete creative freedom". That made me think that Iroh had _creative_ freedom but not financial, and that the investor would own at least _part_ of the tea shop if not most of it. That makes sense to me, since the investor is interested in making money. It could be read the other way, too, so I don't know. :D

I do admit a fudge as far as Iroh's apartment is concerned; somehow I thought he lived on top of the tea shop, but the investor talked about getting Iroh "an apartment in the upper ring". Could be that's where the tea shop is too, but I don't think so.

Thank you very much for reading, Theadora, and everybody else. Thanks especially for commenting, too. I love hearing what you all have to say about the story. Please, keep reading, and please keep commenting! XD Thanks again.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve:<strong>

**The List**

Life with Toph wasn't too bad, really… but having the Gaang cut down to two was definitely different. Toph was relatively self-sufficient, and she didn't have too much to say; Aang appreciated both of those traits, most times. She would have preferred to travel by ground, of course, and she wasn't too thrilled with air travel—but there wasn't much to say about that either. Even so…

"I'd like to know how the non-Airbender Avatars got around," she grumbled.

"Well, Avatar Roku had a dragon, so he traveled by air, too," Aang replied. "But I don't know what Avatar Kyoshi or Avatar Kuruk did; I never really had time to ask them. It could be they just… walked."

"Walked! On the ground! What an incredible idea!"

"But if we did that, we wouldn't be able to—"

"Work with me here, Twinkletoes."

On their return to the Earth Kingdom, Aang and Toph quickly went to work seeking out troublespots and settling them down. A lot of the problems came from obvious sources, rabblerousers out to cause trouble when people's backs were turned. As a partner, Toph was solid. Like Toph, Aang saw through his Earthbending, and they each knew how the other was moving. Coordination was easy. Of course, Toph turning a row of Firebenders into talking heads by having the earth suck them in up to their chins made an impression, too.

It was noticed, however, that the Gaang was not up to full strength.

"Hey!" said one of the talking heads. "Where's that Water Tribe girl you used to hang out with, Avatar? Is this Dirtbender your new _girlfriend_ or something?"

"Hey!" Toph put a foot on top of his head. "Shut up before I give you a _real_ dirty mouth!"

Those were the easy ones. There were a few cases, though, where things were more complex. One in particular gave Aang a lot of food for thought.

Word came of a flare-up at a Fire Nation fortress complex on the Earth/Fire border. The problem: it wasn't empty, and it should have been. Aang and Toph went there to investigate.

The fortress was surrounded by angry, yelling Earth Kingdom troops, almost as if it were under siege. Fire Nation troops and citizens lined the walls of the fortress and were yelling right back.

Appa's appearance in the sky set the Earth Kingdom troops to cheering. They landed, and a general came out to meet them. "Avatar Aang. Thank goodness." He pointed abruptly at the fortress. "Those Fire Nation troops won't leave! They were supposed to leave a month ago to comply with the treaty, and they haven't moved!"

Aang frowned. "Why haven't they left?"

"I don't know. They haven't said anything."

Aang looked at the fortress. "Did you ask them?"

"Well, no…" Then the general got angry again. "That doesn't matter. They were supposed to leave, and they haven't!"

"I think we should find out if there's a reason." Aang turned back. "General, I want you to come with me. I want to talk to them."

"Talking won't do any good! You have to make them leave!"

Aang looked at him intently. "General, I want you to come with me."

The general stood there for a moment, then relented. "Oh, very well…"

Aang, Toph, and the general went through the masses of Earth Kingdom troops to the front gate of the fortress. Aang told the Fire Nation guards that he wanted to speak to their leader. A while later, the gate went up and a black and gray-haired colonel came out. He saluted Fire Nation-style, hand-of-flame over clenched fist with a slight head bow, and Aang bowed in reply. "Yes, Avatar Aang. You wanted to speak to me?"

Aang gestured. "The general says you aren't leaving your fortress as promised."

"Yes, Avatar Aang. That is correct."

"Why?"

The colonel looked downcast. "The plan was for everyone to go back to the Colony cities. The problem is that they're overcrowded. There's been trouble; there's been fighting, and worse. If it were just a matter of my troops, we could camp in tents near the cities."

He looked at Aang with haggard eyes. "But that's not all. A lot of us have our families here, wives, husbands, and children. I don't want to put them through that, especially the children. It's hard enough for troops to be in tents during the winter. Families?" The colonel shook his head.

"You should have thought of that before you started this war," the Earth Kingdom general said tartly.

The Fire Nation colonel glared. "_I_ didn't start this war, General. And this _is_ where we live. You'd want your family here too."

"This is _our—land!_"

"This is _our land too!_"

"It was _our_ land before it was ever _yours!_"

Toph got ready to bend.

"_Hey!_" Aang glared at both of them. "That's enough!" He switched gaze from one to the other slowly, then back again. "Like it or not, the war is over. And I'm not going to have you two start it again.

"Now it's clear to me that the Fire Nation people have to go."

The general exhaled. "Finally."

The colonel flared. "What are you—"

"However." Aang held up a finger. "It's also clear that the Fire Nation has families involved here, not just soldiers. That's going to take some time." He looked at the Fire Nation officer. "Colonel, I'm going to give you one month to make the arrangements, and then I'm going to insist that you leave."

The colonel thought—then nodded. "That'll be hard to meet, but that's fair. I think we should be able to get something together by then."

Aang turned. "General, you will give them one month, unhindered, and then you'll have your fortress."

The general nodded with finality. "Very well. One month. And that is all." He walked away.

The colonel watched him go. "Thank you, Avatar Aang. I never thought he'd see reason."

"You're welcome." Aang smiled. "I hope you get to see home again soon."

"Home…" He looked at Aang. "You don't know, do you? You really don't know."

He turned. "Let me tell you something, Avatar. That man there will tell you that this was his people's land before it was ours—and he's right. But I was born here in the Colonies. So were my mother and father. So were a lot of us.

"So he can say that this is his people's land—but he never lived here. We have. My grandfather and grandmother are buried here, too. So you may be giving them back their land… but you're taking it away from us."

He walked back into the fortress, not waiting for an answer.

o o o

Long Feng, wearing a light green bureaucrat's robe, walked through the Intelligence office on his way to pick up his latest reports. He could have gone a different way, but things that met the eye here were always more interesting.

One freshly-written report was lying on a desk. He picked it up and scanned it.

"Long Feng! Put that down at _once!_"

He rolled his eyes and put it down as his wizened old minder caught up with him. "Yes, sir."

"You _know_ you shouldn't be looking at other people's reports. Your latest figures on sewage system maintenance are over _here_. Those are not for you!"

"I'll just put it back the way it was, then." Long Feng put a clean piece of parchment on top of the report, then laid a heavy ledger on top of it. He walked off for his reports.

"Long Feng, you know that's not how this was! Come back here this instant!"

Long Feng stopped, and shrugged. "I was just trying to lend a hand. I know how important it is to keep things organized."

The short old man put his hands on his hips. "Put things back the way they were. Now."

Long Feng sighed. "Very well." He removed the heavy ledger, then picked up the top sheet of paper and stowed it in his sleeve.

"Very good. Now, go and pick up your reports…"

"Yes, sir," he said resignedly.

On his way out he took a quick look at the parchment in his sleeve. Enough ink had transferred to give him a mirror image of the report.

He smiled.

o o o

Tensions on the border eventually reduced enough to where Aang felt they could continue with their other mission. They flew to Ba Sing Se.

Aang noticed activity at the outer wall and had Appa fly lower so he could take a look. "Hey, they're opening up the Drill!"

"Hah!" Toph cracked her knuckles. "If I had figured out Metalbending a little sooner, _I_ could have opened it up for them."

Aang looked at her. "You really have to teach me Metalbending one of these days."

Toph leaned back, a smug smile on her face. "As soon as you master Earthbending, O Earthbending Student."

"Right." Aang smiled. He looked at the Drill again. "It looks like they're finding out what makes it work. I'll have to tell Sokka—next time I…" His head dropped. "...see him…"

"You will. You'll find your Airbender buddies quick as a wink, and then you'll go to the South Pole and have a big party. That, or you'll wimp out 'cause it's too hard and go back to the South Pole anyway."

Aang looked at her again. "I hope you're kidding, Toph. This is my people we're talking about. If I don't find them…"

"Or you'll go into save-the-world mode and never rest until you're done. I was just about to say that. Can't you take a joke?"

"Not about this." Aang faced forward again.

They flew on to the Palace and landed at one of the administrative buildings nearby. The chief clerk in charge of the project met them.

"This is only a partial list, Avatar Aang," he said, handing the list over. "Our review of the records continues. We'll have another list for you when you return."

Aang smiled and bowed. "Your work is greatly appreciated. Thank you."

The clerk bowed in return. "It is a pleasure to be of service to you, Avatar." He straightened. "Er—wasn't there another young lady with you when you were here last?"

"There was." Aang saddened. "She decided to stay with her family at the South Pole."

"Oh. Well, I wish you and your new girlfriend good hunting and safe travels."

Toph went wide-eyed. "_What?_"

Aang was a little nonplused. "Uh—Toph's not my girlfriend."

"_**Oh.**_" The clerk reddened and bowed. "I beg your pardon, Avatar. I certainly meant no disrespect."

"No problem—just she's not my girlfriend." Aang looked at the list. "Say… the ink is a little faded."

"It is?" The clerk looked. "Oh, so it is. Well, let me get some ink and darken that up for you…"

A little while later Aang and Toph were on their way. "So… the _list._" Toph rubbed her hands together. "The thing you've been waiting for."

"Yup." Aang nodded. "Names, locations, and a brief description of each one. And two of them are here in Ba Sing Se."

"All right, then! Let's get crackin'. Then we can get you back to your ice tunnel of loooove…"

"Toph…"

"Just kidding." She smirked. "Not."


	13. Chapter 13: What You Wish For

**Chapter Thirteen:**

**What You Wish For**

Finding the Airbenders, though, proved harder than expected.

The first one proved to be an outright charlatan. Aang wondered if the clerk who wrote that one's name down had his glasses on. As to the second…

"I'm sorry, Avatar," said a pudgy vegetable merchant with gray eyes. "I'd love to help, I really would. But the only wind I make is the kind you don't want to smell."

"So you haven't ever… made the air move when you did something? Even just the slightest bit?"

The merchant grinned sheepishly. "Only when my wife makes her cabbage rolls."

"I heard that!" came out of the back.

"Okay. Well, thanks anyway." Aang turned to go.

"I'm sorry. I promise if I see anything, I'll tell the authorities, so you can hear about it."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Aang turned away, downcast. "Well, that's 0 for 2."

"Yeah, that's true." Toph walked on. "But that's just in Ba Sing Se. There's the rest of the Earth Kingdom yet."

Aang nodded. "And the other nations. Well… I guess we'd better get going." He looked at the list again. "Hey." He smiled. "The next one's in Aunt Wu's village. It'll be good to see her again."

o o o

On the whole, life for Katara in the Southern Water Tribe was as she had hoped.

She had the time with Hakoda that she'd wanted: at night by the fire, conversations over meals, and other times. Sometimes they talked about important things, others just about day-to-day happenings, nothing earthshaking or important. Still, Katara felt things healing inside, damage being undone, things being restored.

That felt very good; being without Aang, not so much.

The first nights had been hard. After months of nights of snuggling with Aang, his absence was very noticeable. She didn't quite cry that first night; she stubbornly told herself that this was what she wanted, this was what she had asked for, and she would endure the wait—and the colder bed. The dark seemed to close in, cut off escape, ask questions about where Aang was, what he was doing, was he in danger, if he was hurt… and the dark mockingly laughed at any reaffirming answer.

Thinking of what they would do when they got back together did help; it certainly made for warmer thoughts.

The Tribe had welcomed her back with open arms. True, she was back where she was before, mending clothes, preparing food, taking care of the children, but she felt she was getting more respect than before. Her judgment, her decisions carried more weight than they used to, and _that_ was very satisfying. Of course, there was the added _cachet_ of being a companion of the Avatar, but she still felt the Tribe valued her more now.

She regaled the kids with tales from her adventures with the Gaang.

"So Avatar Aang and I ran around and around on the water with our Waterbending, fast as we could!" she said, seated with the children all around her and gesturing with her hands. "And we ran so fast, we caught the huge sea serpent in a giant whirlpool!"

"_Ooooooooo!_" said the kids.

"And we spun that serpent around and around and around and around, until finally, it _bashed_ its head into the rocks. Then it swam and slithered away, looking for something easier to eat."

"_Yaaaaaaay!_"

"I'm gonna be a Waterbender when I grow up." A young boy stood up and went into a Waterbending stance. "Hee-_ya!_"

Katara laughed. "You could be, Keaka. You never know!"

A young girl tugged on Katara's sleeve. "Auntie Katara, what's Avatar Aang like?"

"Well, you know what he _looks_ like. He's almost as tall as I am… his clothes are orange and yellow, not like our blue and gray here… _big_ smile." Katara smiled. "He's kind and generous with just about everyone he meets. He has big gray eyes… very friendly."

"Aw, that's sissy stuff!" said one of the boys.

"Sissy, huh?" Katara put her hands on her hips. "You wouldn't think so when he's shooting fireballs at you. _Huh!_" She lunged at the boy in a mock-Firebending pose. The boy fell over backward in surprise, and everyone laughed.

"You wouldn't think about it looking at him, but he's a very powerful bender," Katara went on. "Here. One time a volcano was about to erupt, and bury a town in its fiery lava."

"_Ooooooooo!_"

"And Avatar Aang had everybody out digging and Earthbending a trench so the lava wouldn't hit the village. This was before he knew how to Earthbend, so he couldn't help them with that. But it wasn't enough. The lava was about to run over the town."

"Oh, no!"

"What did he do?"

Katara smiled. "Well, I'm glad you asked. Avatar Aang took one look at that lava, and he _flew_ up into the air…"

o o o

There were also times when Katara got to join Sokka and Hakoda at sea. Sokka went on and on about his experiences, bragging like an old salt, but he was the son of a mariner, and the Southern Water Tribe was nothing if not a sea people. His bragging also told Katara how happy he was.

Sokka and Katara were up at the bow, enjoying the majestic slow roll of the waves. Sokka took in a deep breath of chilly sea air. "Ahhhh! I've missed this."

"Yeah, me too," Katara said. She looked around. "These ships really are different from the ones we used to have."

"Yeah," said Sokka. "Dad said the Earth Kingdom gave them to us since we sacrificed _our_ ships in the war." He pointed out the shrouds, the ladder-like rigging on the sides of the ship, and the basket-like crow's nest at the top of the mainmast. "They are different—but you get used to them. They do have their uses."

Katara grinned. "Sure beats that little boat of yours."

"Hey, don't knock it! It was a good little boat!"

"Yeah, it was." Katara just kept on smiling. "It was."

"Hey, you two!" Hakoda called from the middle of the ship. "We're ready to bring the net in. Come help!"

The two rushed over to the side of the ship and helped bring in the net. "I wonder what we got?" Sokka asked. "Catfish? No, no no, too cold. Dogfish? Yeah, maybe. Hey, I know! Elephant fish!"

Katara looked at him quizzically. "Elephant fish?"

"Yeah, elephant fish! It's known for its trunk!" Sokka hung his arm by his nose, raised it, and trumpeted.

Katara looked down, unsure. "I've never heard of an elephant fish…"

Hakoda chuckled. "He's pulling your leg, Katara."

Sokka slumped. "Aw, Dad!"

Katara glared at him. "Sokka!"

They hauled the net aboard, and they started picking through the fish, tossing back the ones they didn't want. Then over the side the net went again.

That gave Katara an idea. "Hmmm…"

She went to the other side of the ship, reached down toward the sea, and concentrated. Then suddenly she pulled upward.

Up from the sea came a massive chunk of water about half the size of the ship. It held a good number of fish… and one very surprised narwhal walrus. She let the narwhal walrus go, then spun the water into a massive loop, fish and all, heaving her arms around her head as she spun.

Hakoda looked up at the loop of water, amazed. Bato elbowed him. "That's your daughter doing that."

Hakoda spared him a glance and a smile. "Yes, it is."

Katara thinned the loop out, then she ran the water through the ladder-like shrouds on the ship's sides. Fish and sea creatures rained down on the deck. A squid landed on Sokka's head, tentacles down. He ran in seven different directions.

"Nice little 'magic water', huh?" Katara said to him as soon as he stopped running around.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, great use of magic water." He tugged at the squid for a bit, then pointed at it. "Hey, will you help me get this squid off that _you_ put there?"

She chuckled. "Okay, okay." She started to work on the tentacles.

"Seriously, though? _Ugh!_ I think that—_ugh!_—that is a real good—_ugh!_—Waterbending trick—_ugh!_ There!" Sokka flung the squid into a bucket. "I think even Aang would be proud of that."

"I know he would. I can even hear his voice. 'Wow, Katara! That's really something!' " Katara grinned… but her grin slowly faded, leaving a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, Katara." Sokka patted her on the back. "I shouldn't have—"

"No, it's all right." She smiled a little wider. "This was my choice."

o o o

There was feasting that night. It was summer in the southern hemisphere, and besides, the Chief and his children were home and safe. There was ample reason to feast. And there were a few surprises.

"Hey, Katara, look!" Sokka held up a round, hockey puck-like pastry. "Moon cakes!"

"Moon cakes? From the Earth Kingdom?" Katara turned to her father. "What are those doing here?"

Hakoda smiled. "We've been able to trade more with the Earth Kingdom since the end of the war. We bring them fish, furs, and oil-fats, and in exchange we get wood, metalwork, flour, and other things."

"Yeah, come to think of it, Aang didn't go hungry while he was here," noted Sokka. "You know how he doesn't eat meat."

Hakoda nodded. "I do. I wondered how he'd fare here. He seemed to do all right." He looked at Katara.

She caught the gist immediately. "Dad." She smiled and blushed a little.

The feast felt doubly good to Katara and Sokka. There hadn't been that many feasts during their childhood, and no reason at all to hold them when Hakoda and the men of the Tribe had left for the war. It was another sign that the war was really over, and a sign of good things to come. The men of the Tribe were home... and so were they.

"Mmmmm!" Sokka dragged a serving bowl toward him. "Stewed sea prunes. Haven't had these since—"

"Since Hama's place back in the Fire Nation," Katara teased.

"Ugh. Don't remind me." Sokka ladled out a huge portion.

"Save me some!" She started to turn, and said teasingly, "You _sure_ you don't want to try some of these, Aa—?"

Then she realized she was looking at an empty place. She fell quiet and blushed, embarrassed… and a little guilty.

She looked around a little to see if anyone had noticed.

Sokka was done with his dish in short order. "Hey, Katara, you gonna take yours? If you're not, I want it."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I still want mine." She took the bowl and served up her portion, leaving some in the bowl.

It didn't take too long for Sokka to notice. He looked at her. "You sure you don't want more?"

"No, that's all right. I'm fine with this."

"Okay, suit yourself." Sokka grabbed the serving bowl and dumped the rest onto his plate.

Katara began eating again. The food was good, just like she remembered… but now her taste buds were competing for attention with her thoughts.

o o o

Later that night Katara went out walking. The night sky was a deep midnight blue. Stars twinkled in it like gems of every color, white, yellow, even some red, and the moon was a silver-white crescent. It was a beautiful night.

She walked to a snow hill nearby outside the village and sat down, her head full of thoughts.

_Where is he? Why hasn't he come back?_

_You know he would if he could. He_ is _crazy about you._

_Yeah, I know, it's just…_

There was an unarticulated silence.

_Yeah, I know_.

She looked at the sky, and it was nice, but… just not that great, all things considered. It didn't matter as much. She couldn't share it with him, for one thing.

_Although… there_ are _several bright stars in the sky… and if he_ is _far enough south, he could see those…_

In that sense, they _were_ sharing the same sky, sort of... as well as the moon. That was hard to miss.

Then Katara realized that indeed she wasn't alone. She looked up at the moon.

"How do you deal with it? I know you can see Sokka, every night that he's outside, and you're up there… but you can never talk to him, say anything to him… can you?"

"I mean, I…" she looked down and shrugged. "At least I know Aang is here and that I'll see him again. Someday. But I guess…" She looked back up. "I guess you will too, someday. Someday when we've passed away… you'll be together again, with Sokka. At least… I hope you will."

"I guess I've just gotta wait until Aang comes back, or I'll get fed up with waiting and go to where he is." She shook her head. "I don't know when that is."

She shivered. "Well, I… guess I'd better go in. If you see him, could you please tell him I love him and I hope to see him soon? I'll… say hi to Sokka for you. Oh, and… thanks for listening."

Katara headed back to the village.


	14. Chapter 14: Who You Like

**Chapter Fourteen:  
><strong>Who You Like<strong>**

Long Feng walked ahead briskly with a confident stride.

"Long Feng, you come back here right now!" His minder was almost jogging to keep up, but Long Feng did not slacken his pace. He turned a corner.

"Long Feng! Stop!" The minder hurried around the corner, only to find Long Feng halfway down the corridor. "Long Feng!"

Long Feng turned another corner. The minder muttered something under his breath and pressed on—only to nearly run into Long Feng at a dead end.

"Long Feng." The minder straightened and collected his dignity as much as his panting body would let him. "We have to talk."

To the minder's surprise, Long Feng smiled.

"Yes." Long Feng laid hold of him. "I do believe it's time we had a little… chat."

He opened a secret door, took his minder through, and vanished.

o o o

Aang and Toph arrived at Aunt Wu's village. Aunt Wu was busy at the time, so they sought the woman on their list, found her… and found that she wasn't an Airbender. Aang was disappointed—and annoyed. "This is getting ridiculous. Just what do those clerks think are clues for what an Airbender is?"

Toph shrugged. "Maybe they were writing down anything they could think of."

Aang frowned. "They need to rethink their thinking."

Aang did want to see Aunt Wu since he was in town, partly to tell her about Katara and how Aunt Wu was right about trusting his heart. He was also willing to take any advice on patience he could get, given how his search was going.

"Ah, young Avatar." Aunt Wu smiled. "That is something I can't give you any advice on. Except for one thing."

"Yeah? What's that?"

Aunt Wu's eyes were smiling. "The one thing I can tell you is: be patient with yourself. If you give yourself some time, all the rest will follow."

Aang smiled. "Yeah, that sounds like a fortuneteller to me."

Toph didn't feel the need to talk with Aunt Wu, so she was lounging in the waiting area. Meng walked in with a tray.

"Hello! Can I offer you some tea?"

Toph shook her head. "No thanks. I'm good. Just waiting for Twinkletoes to hear his fortune or whatever."

Meng tilted her head. " 'Twinkletoes'?"

"Aang. You know… the Avatar?"

"_Ohhhh_…" Meng smiled. "Yes, I know the Avatar."

She looked around. "Where's the other girl?"

"Oh—you mean Katara. She stayed home at the South Pole."

"So, he ditched the floozy…" Meng looked at Toph. "Say, you wouldn't be his girlfriend, would you?"

"Me?" Toph snorted. "Oh, no. He's not my type, believe me."

"I see." Meng brightened. "Well, it was nice talking to you. Let me know if you need anything."

"Okay."

Meng walked away smiling, leaving Toph with a quizzical expression on her face.

Aang and Aunt Wu walked in at that moment. Meng saw him, and beamed. "Well, hello, Aang."

"Oh. Hi, Meng."

"Looking for someone?"

"Well, several someones, actually. I'm looking for Airbenders… and I'm not having much luck."

"Oh. Well, if you need me, you know where to find me…"

"Okay."

Meng went away beaming.

Aang turned to Aunt Wu. "She… doesn't have a boyfriend, does she?"

Aunt Wu shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"Oh."

o o o

Toph and Aang left the village that evening. Appa took off as the sun was going down and headed toward their next possible contact.

"Kinda surprised we're not staying overnight," said Toph.

"Yeah… I just wanted to get moving," Aang replied from atop Appa's head.

"That Meng girl doesn't have anything to do with it, does she?"

Aang looked back at her. "No… why?"

"She just seemed really interested in you."

"I know. She is."

"Okay, so…?"

"So, what?"

Toph paused a beat, then waved her hand. "Nothing. Forget I mentioned it."

"Okay."

They flew on in silence for a while. The pale blue-gray of the sunset sky deepened into the rich royal blue of evening, then matured into the midnight blue of the night sky. Stars started to twinkle into being. The full moon crept over the horizon, dull red in color. As it rose it worked its way through the rainbow, first orange, then yellow.

Toph broke the silence. "Okay. You're no fun at all, Twinkletoes."

Aang looked over his shoulder. "Huh? Why?"

"I am needling you about a girl. A girl who clearly likes you. Sokka would have puffed up and strutted like a turkey peacock by now."

"Well, I'm not Sokka."

"Clearly." Toph couldn't have used Earthbending to make her sarcasm any heavier.

Aang let the reins go, trusting Appa with the course, and turned around. "Toph, you know how I feel about Katara, right?"

"Do the words 'shouting from the mountaintops' mean anything to you?"

"Well, I'm in love with Katara. I understand how Meng feels—I was there myself last year—but I'm in love with Katara. I wouldn't want to string Meng along. How she feels is nice, but it's completely beside the point."

"The point being…?"

"I can't have any relationship with Meng beyond friendship. I'm just not interested. I can't be."

"Wow. So it's just that carved in stone for you, huh?"

"Okay." Aang smiled. "Stone isn't the word for it. That did sound a little hard now that I think about it. But what I feel for Katara is so…"

"Okay, okay, I get the idea. Sheesh! I don't need a repeat."

Aang raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You know how I can feel heartbeats with my Earthbending?"

"Yeah, but how—oh." Aang turned a little red. "Okay. I get it."

"Actually… repeat all you want." Toph patted the saddle. "I can't feel a thing through Fluffy, here."

Now the moon had fully risen, leaving behind the lemon yellow for its normal silver-white… and it made Toph's pale skin glow.

And Aang noticed. "You know, Toph… you're really pretty."

Toph smirked. "What, are you changing your mind or something?"

"No, I mean it! The moonlight makes you look like… like pearls, or fine china right now. You look really nice."

"That's nice. Can I hit you now?"

"What?"

"Aang… I've been told I'm pretty my whole life. That's all my parents said—in between telling me not to do this or that because I might hurt myself. In fact… saying I look like fine china kind of echoes the point?"

"Oh…" Aang felt like he had his foot in his mouth, but he blundered on anyway. "Well, I guess what I'm saying is, I wonder if you were ever interested in anybody."

"_What?_"

"Hey, I told _you!_"

Toph frowned. "You didn't have to do that, Twinkletoes. Your body was practically shouting it, every time Katara was nearby."

"Come on, please?"

She thought about it. "Oh, all right." She pointed at him. "But if you tell anybody…"

Aang brought his hands up. "Don't worry, I won't."

"Okay." Toph settled in a little. "There was this guy that came to our house one day. He was loud, obnoxious… but he was honest, too. Kinda smart." She chuckled. "Definitely a smartalec. And he didn't show it on the outside, but he cared about the people he was with."

"How do you know? It sounds like you were around him for quite a while."

"I was. I spied on him." She flexed her feet. "That, and our house has places you can listen without being seen."

Aang grinned. "I can't believe it. You _spied_ on him?"

"Of course." She shrugged. "What did he care? I was interested."

Aang tilted his head. "Did he talk to you at all?"

"Not at first. But he did after a while."

"Did you tell him you liked him?"

"_No_." Toph glared. "Hey, what's with the interrogation? I said I'd tell you about him, not let you ask me about him."

"Sorry. Just curious."

Toph folded her arms grumpily. "Yeah, that's how it starts."

"Say… do I know this guy?"

"_No_. You don't know anything about him. Hey, aren't you going to park this flying carpet with legs anytime soon?"

Aang couldn't help but grin. He didn't really feel this way, but the opportunity was just too good. He had to say it.

He wheeled back around to the front.

" 'I can tell you're ly-ing…' "


	15. Chapter 15: Moving Pieces

**Chapter Fifteen:  
>Moving Pieces<strong>

It was two months after Aang and Toph had left the South Pole that Katara realized her mistake.

Aang had sent her a note from a village he and Toph had stopped at in the southern Earth Kingdom. The date on the note was from the week after they had left, and it had arrived at the South Pole a few weeks after that. Katara had said that she had wanted to stay with the Southern Water Tribe "a few more weeks", and she had confidently talked about meeting up at the rendezvous, but the village Aang had stopped at was in the far south of the Earth Kingdom, and the rendezvous was several weeks of travel north of that, by land.

It would take Katara and Sokka weeks to get to that village. It would take even longer to get to the rendezvous. If Aang and Toph chose to swing south then and didn't find them at the meet-up point, they might find Katara and Sokka out on the open ocean, but in the back country of the Earth Kingdom? Not very easily. Eventually Toph and Aang would think to head back to the rendezvous—assuming other Avatar-related business didn't keep them—but how long would that be?

The logical thing seemed to be sitting and waiting at the South Pole—unless that was what Aang and Toph were doing at the rendezvous. On realizing that, Katara groaned and almost sank in a heap.

She put the best face on it she could, and waited.

o o o

Wa Si began his investigation into the murder of Ozai with an assumption: the killer was not from the Earth Kingdom. He felt that if he was wrong and he ran out of leads, he could come back to investigate the other nations. Further, while many in the Earth Kingdom might want Ozai dead, they wouldn't trouble themselves with killing him. Ozai was no threat now, and killing him now would only stir up trouble.

Trouble, it could be assumed, that Ozai's killer wanted. Using an Earth Kingdom weapon to do the deed could shove things in that direction.

Wa Si started with the paintings the court artists had made: how the body had been found, what the body looked like after the murder, what was and was not there at the scene. He noticed that Ozai's robes were open, and that the blood had not been disturbed once Ozai had hit the floor. It followed that his clothes too had not been disturbed after death, otherwise the blood would have smeared. Could Ozai have bared his chest to his attacker, daring them to shoot? Wa Si snorted. That would have been pure Ozai.

It also meant that Ozai had known his killer—possibly.

Did Ozai know anyone in the Water Tribe, North or South? Probably not. The Earth Kingdom? Possibly, but more than likely he didn't. The Air Nomads? Yes—but Avatar Aang had had his chance to kill Ozai, and didn't. That left the Fire Nation.

Wa Si checked the records of the guards that had been on duty that night. All of them had been assigned to the prison no less than six months; most had been there for a year or more. No recent assignments had been made. He did check the records of a few of the more recent assignments to the prison; they had been reassigned for infractions of discipline after being assigned to a homeland-based unit for a few weeks. Before that, there were no records. They had been misplaced, he was told.

He checked a few of the others who had been there longer—and had no problems finding their records. But the six-month assignees… all missing outside of those six months.

Wa Si smiled. _Such uniformity_.

The Fire Nation was nothing if not organized, however. He went to the archives.

"You're in luck," the archive keeper said. "We started our yearly purge last week. We haven't gotten to those yet."

As Wa Si searched, he found more uniformity. Of those that had missing records, over half at one time or another had belonged to one unit… and Wa Si found it very interesting as to which one.

That provided motive, and the guards provided opportunity. Wa Si left the archives.

_Now to establish the means._

o o o

There was a knock at the barracks door. The off-duty guard opened it, chuckling, then recoiled, wide-eyed. A figure stood there, wearing all black except for red trim at the cuffs. Its hood hid all but the eyes.

"I am here for Turon."

The other three guards left the room in a hurry. The last, seated at the table, looked at the dark figure anxiously. "Wh-what do you want with me?"

"You were on duty at the royal prison the night of Fire Lord Ozai's murder, were you not?"

"Yes, I was. B-but I already told them everything."

"I'm sure you have." The man came in. "Everything you were prepared to tell. Now we'll talk about what really happened."

"What do you mean?"

"There were no guards on the Fire Lord's level. Why was that?"

"They weren't needed. We were told they weren't needed."

"Why?"

"There wasn't any place for Ozai to go. He couldn't escape."

"Clearly he couldn't." A pause. "So the whole level was left unguarded. Anyone could have climbed in, killed him, and left."

"N-no, they couldn't. There was no way in. The windows were too small—and you c-could only get to that level from below."

"So the only way to get to Ozai was from below."

"Yes. Th-that's right."

"Through you and your fellow guards."

"No. No, that's not what I meant!"

"The only access to that level is from below. You said it yourself."

"Y-yes, but I—"

"That means you either saw the murderer, or you are the murderer. And your report says you saw nothing that night. Nothing at all."

"No! No, please! I didn't do it!"

A pause. The room was filled with the guard's fearful breathing.

"Then who did?"

The man remained wide-eyed… but silent.

"Very well… I will give you some time to consider your answer. I will return tomorrow night. Should you have no answer then, the Inquisitors will have a… further interest in you." He left. The man sprawled on the table with relief.

The Inquisitor crossed the street, turned the corner, then entered a house; he went up to a room where a man waited for him. The man smiled. "Your timing is good, sir. Turon just left the barracks."

Wa Si removed his black hood. "So soon! You have someone following him?"

The man nodded. "Of course."

"Good. Hopefully with the others, our little spider ant shall spin us a web strong enough to walk on."

o o o

In the middle of the night, Sokka drew on a light-colored animal skin with a piece of charcoal. He didn't need a fire or a torch for light; the full moon gave plenty of light to see by.

The moon cast its light down into the ice-filled bay, and the scene of the silver-white moon lighting up the ice floes in the dark water was unbelievable. He had seen this before, last month, and eventually it struck him to recreate the scene for himself, if he could. Of course, he couldn't just buy canvas or paper at the South Pole the way he could in Ba Sing Se; he had to make it, or barter for it. That took time. This cycle of the moon, though, he was ready.

He drew the circle of the moon in the sky, and a line for the horizon. The stars… he didn't know what he was going to do there, yet, so he left that for later. The ice floes kept moving, but that was okay; they were just rough shapes anyway. A few rough shapes for ice, black for the sea, and the moon…

The moon…

The full, silvery, other-worldly moon...

He sighed, and lowered the charcoal.

That was a whole other life up there… a whole other lifetime. A whole other someone.

"Are you looking back at me, Yue? _Can_ you see me?"

He put down his charcoal on a rag and looked up at the moon in the night sky.

Katara found him there later, still looking; the moon no longer hung over the ice bay but was now high in the sky. She sat next to him. "Hey. Aren't you getting cold?"

"Hey, Katara. No, I'm—I'm fine."

"Beautiful night tonight."

"Yeah, it is."

They listened to the ocean moving the ice. The ice floes _clonked_ together when they met, sounding like heavy windchimes.

"What're you doing here?" asked Katara.

"The moon… the sky, the ice…"

"Oh." She looked at his drawing. "It looks nice, so far."

"Thanks."

An awkward pause. There was a good deal of _clonk_-ing from the ice before either of them spoke again.

"It's Yue, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Sokka looked up at the moon. "I saw this last month and I wanted to draw it. It looked so beautiful. But now…" He gestured at the moon. "She's up there, I'm down here… and I can't get 'up there' until I'm dead. If I can at all."

"I think she knows, Sokka. I think she understands." Katara turned to him. "I don't think she'd want you to be lonely. That'd be heartless. And she definitely wasn't heartless. —She isn't, I mean."

"I know. Not that that helps much either." He smiled slightly. "It's kind of hard to explain to a new girlfriend that my old girlfriend's the moon. I haven't told Suki yet." He turned away. "Not really."

Katara put her hands on her hips. "I think you'd be surprised at what you do and don't have to explain, Sokka. She's intelligent. Just tell her."

The wind whistled, rustled the drawing, then stopped.

"Okay, I will. Next time I see her. Do you know when she's coming by?"

"Sokka…"

Another sigh. "I wish she would, though. I really wish Suki would. A man can get really lonely out here…"

Katara hugged him. "I know the feeling…"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my good friend Izzy, who inspired this chapter and another story with something she made a few years ago. Thanks again, Izzy. :D


	16. Chapter 16: The War Machine

**Chapter Sixteen:**  
><strong>The War Machine<strong>

Sokka was going through his things one morning when he saw the white lotus tile Piandao had given him. He took it and looked at it, since he hadn't seen it in a while.

That sparked some thoughts.

Sokka went to where Pakku was training some novice Waterbenders. He waited until they were done training, then went to Pakku. "Master Pakku, I have a question."

Pakku looked over. "You'd like to join in the training, eh? Good. My students could use a practice dummy."

Sokka frowned. "It's about this." He held up the white lotus tile.

Pakku exhaled—then smiled. "Well, if you really want to, I'll play against you—but I insist on playing a few pieces down. More of a challenge."

"Master Pakku, I'm serious."

Pakku turned around full circle, slowly, and satisfied himself that no one was around.

"Walk with me. I feel the need to see some fresh ice."

o o o

Pakku didn't speak again until they were well outside the village.

"I suppose you want to know about the Order, then," he said.

"Yes, Master Pakku."

"I thought you might. Bear in mind: what you saw months ago was the most public display the Order has made in a long time, possibly ever in its history. Very few people know about the Order. We want to keep it that way."

"But—"

"Think about what you saw, Sokka. For many years, there were a lot of people who had a vested interest in people like us _not_ working together. _Pai sho_ is about creating harmony. Those people would find our harmony… disturbing."

"All right. So how do I join?"

A small smile came to Pakku's face. "You're audacious, I'll give you that. You're like your sister."

Sokka grinned. He shrugged. "Family trait."

Pakku stopped and faced him. "The proper way is for you to petition your master, Piandao. If you are to join the Order, you must do so through his discipline, the way of the sword."

Sokka threw an arm out. "But he's on the other side of the world!"

"Yes, I know."

"But—"

I'm sorry, Sokka, but that is all I can say. You must join through the discipline of your master—or not at all."

o o o

The days seemed to drag on as Aang and Toph worked their way through the list of possible Airbenders. Aang tried to be systematic in his search and plan their flying so that they flew to the next closest prospect, then the next closest, then the next, but even that made for days of flying. Aang knew how big the Earth Kingdom was before the mission began; now he _really_ knew.

Not finding any Airbenders only added to his frustration. Sometimes they found fakes and pretenders, and that only made Aang sad or angry; he did secretly enjoy how Toph once made the fake Airbenders 'fly'. Most times, however, they met someone who _looked_ something like an Airbender, in some way… but wasn't an Airbender after all. Each one of those was a disappointment, and each negative finding whispered the question Aang didn't want to ask.

Were there any Airbenders out there at all?

The nights were even worse sometimes.

During the day, they could keep busy, looking at things, looking _for_ things, concentrating on the mission… but at night, after they had landed, had dinner, and gone to bed, Aang was left alone with his thoughts.

Early on that had been all right; Aang had been filled with purpose, and while there wasn't an end in sight at that point, he felt there would be one. He could then fly back to the South Pole with his new Airbenders, and life could begin again. He could be with Katara again.

Aang glanced over at Toph's Earth tent. _I mean, Toph is nice and all_, he thought, _but she isn't Katara._

_Then again, no one else is._

That happy thought warmed his way off to sleep that night.

Another night, though, after the list had led to another charlatan, Aang's mood was very different.

_When am I going to see Katara again?_ he mentally moaned.

A few nights later, he was searching through his things for a candlestub to read by. He could Firebend to make some light, but he wanted to concentrate on his reading, not his Firebending. Right now, at least, he had found he couldn't do both safely.

He found the candlestub… and his fingers brushed against something soft.

"Hey…"

Aang drew a long soft swath of fabric out of his pack. "I didn't know I still had this. I must have forgotten to give it back to Katara."

"What is it?" Toph asked.

"It's a shawl of Katara's. She bought it in Ba Sing Se."

A wry smirk from Toph. "So you guys are swapping clothes, now?"

"_No…_" Aang frown-smiled at her. "It's a shawl, not a shirt. She let me borrow it because I was cold. She knew I didn't want anything with fur."

"Wimp."

"Air Nomad, thank you. We don't like killing things."

"All right." Toph folded her arms and grinned. "Air Nomad wimp."

Aang shrugged with a smile. "Whatever."

"Linestealer."

Aang held the soft fabric in his hands and reveled in the feel of it. It wasn't much… but it was hers.

He had an idea. He held the shawl to his face and breathed in deeply… and he caught the scent of her. He remembered her twirling in the shawl when she bought it… walking through the stalls and shops of Ba Sing Se, trying not to bother the cabbage merchant—again…

He remembered the smoke of dozens of campfires, dozens of nights together… nights of being close together. He remembered how soft she was... that little nudge with her shoulder. A saucy look… a shared laugh… a soft giggle. Snuggling under the stars.

He laid back, closed his eyes, and inhaled again… and sighed happily.

She was there with him.

o o o

Zuko took a tour of a tank factory near the Capital. It hadn't been high on his list of things to do, but at some point he decided to get it over with—see and be seen, show his confidence in the people, demonstrate his attention to the defense of the Fire Nation, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera...

He came away feeling impressed.

The whole scene inside the factory seemed devilish, hot and dark, with dim red light coming from the forges. Everyone wore masks, goggles, and long, thick clothing to protect against sparks and burns. Large metal slabs, wide as a man's arm and twice as long, would come out of the furnace glowing cherry red in the dark. The slabs were carried by chains suspended from the ceiling to a long, flat reinforced metal surface. Presses were lowered from above and pressed holes in the red hot metal; workers would call for different presses depending on where the slab would go on the tank. The slab was then dragged over to the folders where it was bent into shape using heavy machinery. Zuko couldn't help but think of "metalbending" when he saw that.

Cooled off pieces were rolled along a set of conveyor belts to assembly points. Two-person teams fastened the armor shells of the tanks together with rivets; one of them would take a red-hot rivet, fit it into place in a pre-drilled hole, and brace it, while the other would smash away on the other side with a sledgehammer, flattening the rivet head. Once the armor shell was complete, it would be hoisted onto its own set of rollers and rolled off to a final assembly point, where it was fitted with wheels, treads, and armored shutters. The engine and drive train would be taken in through a back panel and assembled inside. The back hatch was riveted up, and away rolled a brand new tank, fresh off the assembly line.

Zuko watched each stage of the process with increasing pride, proud that his people could make such things. Compared to the things he had seen in the Earth Kingdom, _this_ was magic. Yes, Firebenders helped the building process along, and yes, Firebenders rode in the tanks, but the Fire _Nation_ made these machines.

After the tour, though, he remembered that the Fire Nation wouldn't need as many tanks in the future—at least, if he had his way. There was also no question as to the value of all this, either—the furnaces, the hoisting and dragging equipment, the presses, the people and their expertise… especially the people.

Naroz, having joined him on the tour, caught up to him outside the factory. "That—was—something, wasn't it?" He smiled. "Nothing like seeing our nation's war machine in action."

"Yes." Zuko's voice was raspy and low. "Yes, it was something."

Naroz lifted an eyebrow. "Is… something troubling you, Fire Lord?"

"Yes." Zuko smiled slightly. "I'm glad you asked. Something _is_ troubling me."

He gestured back at the factory. "With the end of the war, we don't need as many tanks as we used to. But they're still making them."

Naroz folded his arms. "Well, I wouldn't stop them from making tanks, my lord." He shrugged. "We can always use a few spares."

"Yes. But there will come a time when we don't need more spares, too. And buying tanks we don't need doesn't make sense."

"Yes… I can see what you mean by that. That could be a problem. What are your thoughts, Fire Lord?"

"That's the problem." Zuko frowned. "I'm still forming them. If we don't buy tanks we don't need, then we don't need the factory, either."

"But the factory isn't ours—"

"Yes, I know. But if they close the factory, they won't need the workers, either. And then what do _they_ do?"

Naroz shook his head slightly. "I don't understand."

"The workers. What do they do? What do they do when they can't work here?"

"They… find work elsewhere, I suppose."

"And what if they can't find work?"

"I… guess they join the army, or the navy."

"And what if the army and navy have enough people already? As we know they do?"

"I don't know, Fire Lord."

"Neither do I, General. And that's what's troubling me."

After a moment, Naroz spoke again. "There has to be _some_ way of keeping the factory open..."

Zuko nodded. "That would solve a lot of problems." He pondered. "When I travelled through the Earth Kingdom, I saw very little machinery—very little metal at all. I'd think they could find a use for—"

"No."

"No?" Zuko was surprised. "No what?"

Naroz was stern. "Fire Lord, you _cannot_ sell our tanks to the Earth Kingdom."

"We wouldn't be selling them _tanks_—we'd be selling them _machinery_."

"Fire Lord, our _machinery_ is one of the few advantages we have against the Earth Kingdom. If you sell them that, they might copy it and start making it themselves. We'd lose that advantage!"

"You think they could copy _this?_" Zuko waved a hand back at the factory.

Naroz was incredulous. "Do you really want to take the chance?"

"General, in the course of this war we've left broken tanks all over the Earth Kingdom. They've had every chance to copy them. Why haven't they?"

"_**I don't know!**_" Naroz stormed.

Zuko's eyes widened, _very_ surprised at the direct rebuke—then his brow furrowed.

Suddenly Naroz remembered his place. He contained himself, and bowed slightly. "Fire Lord. All I know, sir, is that if you give the Earth Kingdom working copies of something they've only had broken copies of before, they might make connections they've been missing. I strongly counsel against giving them that chance."

Zuko nodded… but the frown didn't leave his face.

"I appreciate your honest opinion, General. However…" Zuko broadened his stance. "My uncle told me that one of the challenges I would face as Fire Lord would be to help the Fire Nation transition from war to peace. I feel this is part of that challenge. We have to find answers to questions like these."

"I understand, Fire Lord." Naroz bowed deeper, then straightened. "But as one of your advisors, I must tell you that this impacts directly on the fighting strength of the Fire Nation—_and_ what the Fire Nation will face in the field. If you give our one-time enemy secrets of ours… that might embolden them to turn the peace back into war. I think you would agree that is the wrong solution for this problem."

Naroz bowed and left, leaving Zuko with his thoughts.


	17. Chapter 17: Nobody Home

By the way, about the tank factory (and I wish I'd actually written this in): Zuko's idea was for the tank factory to make _tractors_ for the Earth Kingdom, farm tractors or other vehicles rather than tanks. Zuko really was wanting to make plowshares out of swords for real. The tank factory stays in business, the Fire Nation makes money, the Earth Kingdom receives unique goods in trade, everybody's happy.

Naroz is afraid the Earth Kingdom will take them, copy them, and make Fire Nation-style Earth Kingdom tanks—which makes sense because in our world, the first tanks were made from tractors—and Fire-proof vehicles in the hands of the Earth Kingdom would be a real gamechanger. And so on and so on.

Thank you again everybody for reading—especially LittleHogwartsGirl and Theadora. :D

Chapter 17. And fasten your seatbelts; this one's gonna get a little bumpy.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen:<strong>  
><strong>Nobody Home<strong>

Long Feng strode through the reports section on his way for his own papers. He checked the one particular spot that he had checked for weeks—and this time, the list was there. He smiled.

"Long Feng, that is not for you! That is not your report!"

He turned to his minder. "Oh? Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. That looks like it belongs to the Avatar's research project, and that does not include _you_."

"On the contrary, sir." He looked deeply into his minder's eyes. "_We must be mindful of what we do in the Regent's service_."

The minder stiffened, and his eyes widened. "_I am honored to serve the Regent in all ways_."

Long Feng looked over the list. "I think I need a copy of this… sir. Any insight I can gain would be helpful."

The minder shook his head briskly. "Yes. Yes, of course. The copying section is this way. They will see to it at once."

o o o

Later that night in a quiet corridor, Long Feng gave the list to a man with stone-covered hands. "You know what to do."

"Of course." The man melted into the shadows.

o o o

Aang brought Appa in for a landing at another Earth Kingdom village. Immediately Momo leaped off, flew to the ground, and embraced it. Aang wafted himself to Appa's back and helped Toph down.

"Aang, next time, just a little suggestion: fly _around_ the thunderstorm, _not_ over it!"

"Why? I thought you liked storms."

"Yeah, when I'm on the ground—not when I'm _in_ the storm?"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I was too involved in our conversation, I guess."

"Yeah." Her feet touched ground, and she immediately relaxed. "Ahhhhh!" She dropped to all fours to enjoy the feel. "I'll try not to talk to you during thunderstorms."

"Sorry." Aang looked up at the village. "I hope we have better luck this time."

"You mean any luck. The last two weren't even there."

"Well, the villagers we talked to said they had seen them, just… not recently. Guess we'll have to check back one of these days."

They went to the village and asked for directions to the house of the woman they were looking for, but when they got to the house, it was empty. They turned to the neighbors.

"Yeah, I saw her—but that was a few days ago. Haven't seen her since then."

Aang looked concerned. "Well, if you see her, please let her know I came by. I'd like to talk to her."

"Of course, Avatar. Anything to help. Hey, congratulations on your new girlfriend!"

Aang flared. "She's not—" But the man had moved back inside his house, out of earshot.

Aang and Toph waited at the village another day just to be sure… then another… but the woman never returned.

"I guess that's that," said Toph.

"Yeah. In more than one way." Aang held up the list. "That's the last one. Time to head back to Ba Sing Se for another list."

"Hey… have you thought about heading for the rendezvous point?"

"Oh… yeah." Aang looked away. "I want to."

"But?"

Aang fumbled with his fingers.

"When I first started this, I thought I could—I thought there'd be time, but… for some reason I feel like time is counting down, like there's only so much time before I can't do this anymore."

Toph shrugged. "You say so. I'd think you'd want to see Katara."

"I do. More than anything." Then Aang's eyes widened. "Hey, that's it!" He turned to Toph. "We'll get the list, and then look for people on our way _to_ the rendezvous point. Or even the South Pole, if we have to. It's been long enough."

"Wow. That sounds like a plan!"

"Really? You like it?"

"Eh, I guess. I'm just along for the ride."

"Oh. Okay."

They got back to Appa and Momo and left for Ba Sing Se. Still, Toph was glad she didn't have to explain to Aang the warm thoughts she had herself for that cold place—or the warmth in her cheeks.

o o o

"Outright rebellion."

General Xhong stewed for a moment, then slammed his hand down on the table as he spoke.

"This smacks of _outright rebellion_ in the Colonies!"

"Why, General?" asked Colonel Daga. "What's happened?"

"Only _some_ of the new barracks were built. _Somebody_ siphoned off the money!"

"What?"

"That's right. So now we don't have the barracks, but we do have soldiers looking for them. Of course, the people and shopkeepers and merchants and what have you are unhappy about it, so they're raising a ruckus. And not only are some of the soldiers sent to put them down not doing their job—they're joining in!"

Naroz grew grim. "This is serious."

Xhong snapped to him. "_Serious?_ Rebellion is _serious?_ Well, welcome to the Council, General! I'm glad you realize that!"

"Those barracks have to be built." Zuko leaned forward. "That's the only way we can damp down this problem."

"Not the only way, perhaps, but one that is workable."

Zuko frowned at Naroz, then turned back to the council. "General Togo. Admiral Hino. Gather troops and supplies from the home cities and see to the building of those barracks."

Xhong glared. "That is _my_ area of responsibility, Fire Lord, I'll see to it." Most of the officers looked at Xhong in shock.

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "Why you? I just ordered—"

"Now, General," said Naroz, loudly cutting them both off, "I'm sure the Fire Lord has a plan in mind to take care of the—"

"_Plan?_" Xhong scoffed. "What plan? 'Build the barracks and they will come', that's all I see. Nothing about the rebellion, nothing about giving them a lesson!"

Naroz didn't lower his voice. "General, you need to _calm down_. If you just give the Fire Lord a chance to expl—"

"_Calm?_ I'm _completely_ calm!" Xhong started to rise out of his chair. He pointed at Zuko. "_He's_ the one not doing anything! All you say is 'build the barracks, build the barracks', nothing about anything else, and nothing about bringing the rebels to _heel!_"

Naroz looked worried. "General, you'd better sit down, or—"

Now Zuko came to his feet. "Those are our people, General! There _has_ to be another way!"

"Another way? I'll tell you another way. You take some troops, you go over there, you stamp out this rebellion, and you show those people some _order!_"

"By _killing_ our own _people?_"

"_Yes!_ If that's what it takes to show them that you're not a _weak, spineless **whelp!**_"

The room sat in shocked silence. The officers looked either at Xhong in disbelief or at Zuko for a response, and more and more of them looked to Zuko. They knew what the father would have done—and now…

Zuko's eyes were a mix of emotions. There was fear, fear of things getting out of hand, fear of losing the council's respect, and there was anger, anger at being insulted, anger at being challenged, anger at being thought less than he was.

Xhong looked angry, cognizant of what he'd done, embarrassed, maybe a little fearful, but he was still not backing down at all. Naroz looked from one to the other, slowly, his expression filled with shock.

It was anger, hot, dark, and volcanic, that burned through Zuko's fear. He exploded.

"Since that is what you want, _I will let you **have it!**_" he roared. "_**Agni Kai! Now!** In the Hall of Agni Kai!_"

Xhong recovered a little of his dignity. He bowed. "As the Fire Lord _commands_."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Also, my thoughts and prayers to everyone on the United States' East Coast with the coming of Hurricane Irene. Be safe and Godspeed, everybody, and I hope to see you back here on Monday for the next chapter-but seeing you here whenever, period, is plenty fine. :D Please take care.


	18. Chapter 18: Agni Kai

**Chapter Eighteen:**  
><strong>Agni Kai<strong>

In the last moments before the Agni Kai, Zuko was with Mai. Mai was shaking her head. "You idiot."

"What?" He emphatically pointed at his scar. "You think he'll give me one to match?"

"No… you'll give _him_ one." She shook her head. "I only think there had to be another way to do this."

He looked at her in anger, but after a moment he looked at the floor. "Yeah. Me too. Uncle would've—"

She put a finger on his lips—then kissed him, and hugged him tight. "Be careful."

"I will."

She took hold of his lips with thumb and forefinger. "I want these back when you're done."

"Okay," he said awkwardly through the pinch. She let go—then he kissed her again, tenderly. She let him go and smiled, and then watched him leave.

She sighed.

o o o

Now kneeling in the hall, Zuko admitted that he didn't know much about Xhong as he might have… what Xhong's favorite Firebending technique was, what traps he might lay, what tricks he might try. Still, Xhong was a General of the Fire Nation—and officers didn't earn that rank by just working at headquarters.

And try as Zuko might, he still couldn't help but regret what a mess he had made. This situation should never have been allowed to be. _Uncle never would have let things get this bad. He would have found_ some _way to fix this._

At the same time, though, even here, even now, Zuko found that he did have Iroh's blessing.

"_You have always stood up for what you believe in,_" Iroh had told him before he left Ba Sing Se. "_You have never allowed_ anyone… _to tell you what to believe_."

"_Except you,_" he had replied with a grin.

"_Well, now, that's different, isn't it?_" Iroh had said expansively. "_I mean… yes._" Zuko had chuckled.

"_Your belief in yourself will be most important in the times to come,_" Iroh had gone on. "_And I have faith in you. Your belief in the_ future… _will help guide the Fire Nation away from its past._"

So here now Zuko knelt, having stated his beliefs, backed by the faith of his uncle and his belief in what was right… and while there might have been some better way to deal with things than what had taken place, now Zuko found himself more than ready to defend those beliefs.

Zuko rose and turned, and his ceremonial drape fell away. Xhong waited at the other end: fifty-ish, gray at the temples and elsewhere and with a noticeable paunch, but unafraid. His expression was odd; there was anger there, but it looked more like… disgust?

A gong sounded.

Neither of them moved. They both stood there a moment, gauging the other.

Xhong moved first. He gathered fire slowly, then punched out several firebolts in quick succession. Zuko side-stepped the first ones and blocked the rest.

Xhong then poured out a long tongue of fire which seemed to gain in intensity the longer he fired. Red and yellow light lit the hall. Zuko stayed on the move, evading, dodging, not taking the flame head-on.

Xhong advanced, punching a bolt now and then, closing the range. Zuko blocked what was flung at him and fired back—but his firebolts were small, seemingly weak. That drew grumbles from the crowd.

The general kept to his right, forcing Zuko to move right. In the middle of the Hall, he stopped and scowled. "Now you have to face me."

He brought both hands forward and poured his full strength into the fire, face bathed in yellow, meaning to force Zuko into the corner.

Except Zuko moved to his left and punched out a quick flurry of fire. Xhong broke off the attack and blocked. "Finally. Come at me, whelp!"

"Why? You're coming to me!"

"_Rrrrrraaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!_" Both hands out again, Xhong poured forth red and yellow fire. But this strike Zuko met—and cleaved it in two. Again Xhong hurled a massive strike; Zuko sidestepped and deflected. The right-hand gallery had to duck.

"Well!" Xhong put his hands on his hips. "You're not so weak after all."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises." Zuko launched several bolts.

Xhong dropped on his belly, then brought his leg around in a wheel kick, sending out an arc of red fire, low. That move Zuko wasn't ready for. He jumped the flame on reflex, half-hopped on landing, tumbled, and fell.

The general came to his feet and closed. He punched bolt after bolt at Zuko on the ground. Zuko dodged, blocked, rolled, and eventually regained his feet.

The two continued to blast at each other, neither penetrating the other's defense. Then Zuko stopped moving around. He planted himself and lunged. A long tongue of fire came out. Xhong blocked, then began to reply. Again Zuko poured out flame. Xhong broke off his attack and blocked. Again Zuko hurled fire, now in a strong overarm motion. Xhong blocked, barely. Concern started to show on his face. Again Zuko threw overarm, casting a long lance of fire. Again Xhong blocked, and did not reply.

Now Zuko advanced. He continued to blast—and blast—and blast—and blast. With each shot he picked up the speed of his attack. Sweat ran down his face and down his arms and chest. The Hall was bathed in showers of red and yellow light. Bolt after bolt lanced in at Xhong, who was now completely on the defensive, blocking, blocking, not firing back. Zuko alternated his attacks, short, sharp fiery punches combined with massive, leg-wheel hammer-strokes of fire. Whenever Xhong tried to get off a shot, Zuko would send a short, sharp punch, forcing Xhong to block. Xhong blocked it all, but he was clearly slowing. It was only a question of whether the lance or the hammer would down him.

Zuko's choice: the battering ram.

"_**Eeeeeeeerrrraaahhhhhhh!**_" Zuko hurled a titanic orange and yellow fireball. Xhong had to dodge. Then Zuko dropped and spun, sending out a fan of fire of his own. Xhong toppled and went down.

Zuko regained his feet and walked to stand over the downed general. He let his breathing slow.

All was quiet.

He looked at Xhong's face. He saw surprise… some anger, some anxiety… but again, no outright fear. Xhong even looked a little relieved, which was a real surprise to Zuko.

He pitched his voice so all could hear.

"General Xhong. I believe I have proved that I am not weak."

Having spent a moment on the floor, Xhong had no trouble finding his voice.

"Yes. And?"

"You know what tradition requires at this point."

"_So?_ What are you waiting for?"

"I want you to know I don't require tradition."

Xhong lay there a moment, considering.

"I think you've proven _that,_" he said sourly. Then, as a second thought, "Fire Lord."

Zuko offered him a hand up. Xhong looked at it suspiciously. Zuko offered again, emphatically, and this time Xhong took it, and stood up.

"You shouldn't have said what you said," Zuko said. "But at the same time, I shouldn't have put you in that position. I should have listened. I'm still learning."

Xhong astounded everyone by blowing up. "That doesn't change the facts of the matter, Fire Lord! There's a rebellion brewing out there, and you aren't doing anything about it!"

Zuko nodded. "That's better. That is what I needed to hear. I have proved my point, you have proved yours. We'll find a way to deal with this." A corner of his lip turned up. "Unless you feel I _have_ to burn you."

Xhong stood there and looked at Zuko for a moment, astounded. He shook his head. "I don't know what to make of you, Fire Lord."

Zuko smiled. "So long as you serve me, so long as you serve the Fire Nation, I don't care."

He left, to a lot of confused talking.


	19. Chapter 19: The Matter of Mercy

**Chapter Nineteen:**  
><strong>The Matter of Mercy<br>**

Mai met Zuko after the Agni Kai. "That was so strange."

She kissed him deeply, then pulled back and appraised his lips. "I think they're still intact."

He smiled. "Yeah. They are." He kissed her. "But I know what you mean. I thought about what I was going to say afterward—or _if_ I'd have to say anything—but I didn't think it would end like that."

"You need to do more thinking. Isn't that what your uncle would say?"

"Not quite like that—but yeah."

A servant entered. "My lord, General Naroz wishes to see you."

Zuko nodded. "Show him in." He let go of Mai—reluctantly.

After a moment, Naroz entered and bowed. "I would congratulate you on your victory, Fire Lord... but I'm not sure that it is one."

"Oh?" Mai raised an eyebrow. "General Xhong looked fairly flat to me. I didn't think he would claim victory on his back."

Naroz nodded grimly. "So he was, Lady Mai... but it's the situation itself that's the problem."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I think that allowing the situation at all was a mistake. You should not have put yourself in a situation where you had to challenge him to an Agni Kai. And once you did, you should have gone into that hall with the intent to kill him."

Zuko was incredulous. "After criticizing him for wanting to kill our own people?"

Naroz raised his hands. "Please, Fire Lord, hear me out. It's partly a matter of what your father did compared with what you're doing." He lowered his hands. "Your father was a brutal man who brooked no opposition. He always killed anyone he faced in Agni Kai if he could—yourself being one of the few exceptions. No one would dare challenge him, for that very reason. If opposed, he would kill.

"Today you allowed a general of yours to challenge you. You did not kill him, or harm him. Win or lose, this could only turn out badly for you. Lose, and... well, the result is obvious. Win, and now a general of your own choosing has challenged you _and lived_. That might encourage others."

Zuko gritted his teeth. "I showed him mercy, General Naroz. My father rarely showed _that_, too."

"Yes, and I hope it doesn't cost you." Naroz came closer. "Forgive me, my lord, but I must speak plainly, for your sake. There are times for mercy... but as the ruler of the Fire Nation, you must realize that there are times when it is not only inappropriate, but dangerous. There are times when you must think of your own survival." He tilted his head. "Did you show mercy to Xhong? Or did you humiliate him? Only he really knows."

Zuko thought for a moment. Then he looked to Naroz. "Thank you for your opinion, General. I will think about what you have said."

"Fire Lord." Naroz bowed and left.

Zuko continued to think.

After a while, Mai made to leave. "I think I should go."

"No." Zuko reached out to her. "Please, stay with me. I want to think—but I want you near me."

She came over, took the offered hand, and squeezed it.

o o o

The discussion also continued in other quarters.

"'I want you to know that I don't require tradition,' he says," a shadow scoffed in the shack by the docks. "Huh! That's the problem!"

Another shook his head. "I never thought I'd ever see a Fire Lord _not_ strike the final blow in an Agni Kai. Unbelievable."

"He showed mercy, General."

"Mercy?" The general glared at the speaker. "Whose side are you on, Commander?"

"The fight was over, General. He could have burned Xhong, but he didn't have to. He had proved his point."

"I'm surprised to hear you saying that, Commander. That kind of mercy could get someone killed down the line!"

"No, General. That kind of mercy preserves life. The Fire Lord entered that Agni Kai on the basis of protecting Fire Nation citizens from unwarranted attack. How many times have we been ordered to sacrifice troops and ships so that some other unit can gain a better position?" The commander leaned in. "The Fire Lord is saying that he won't do that—and he stands by it. And _when_ we go to war again, he's made it clear that he won't sacrifice _our_ people for _his_ objectives."

"Who let you in here?" The general looked at him askance. "Your idealism reeks. Sit downwind of me the next time you sit at this table!"

Before the commander could fire back, an admiral cleared his throat. "There's another problem with that kind of mercy, Commander: it buys the Earth Kingdom time. It buys them second chances with the Fire Lord."

"Yes!" said the general. "Has it occurred to you, Commander, that the Earth Kingdom grows stronger with every passing day? More soldiers trained? More units rebuilt? More technology gleaned and gained from us?"

"Yes, it has." The commander sat back. "It's also occurred to me that some Earth Kingdom generals barely know their headquarters from their hindquarters. They've wasted chances before and they'll do so again."

The general gave him the eye. "Do you know how many babies are born in the Earth Kingdom every day? Do you know how many of their children turn eighteen and join the army, every day? Do you know how much grain is harvested every year, how much coal and iron is mined, how much steel they make?"

"No, I don't." The commander chuckled. "I don't know the price of tea in Ba Sing Se, either."

"Well, I don't know either, Commander, but it's a lot more than us. A _lot_ more! Not so much in the way of steel—yet—but that very well could change." The general leaned closer. "Every single day they gain strength. They add to their numbers. They learn more from us, by hook or by crook. Every day their army grows and regrows. Right now, they're peaceable, yes! That's because we've beaten them back, and they're no match for us now. They don't have the strength to take us on. But one day…" He shook a finger at the commander. "One day that will change. That may be five years from now. It may be ten. Or twenty. But it _will_ happen. And when it does, you can bet that we won't have Sozin's Comet to help us!"

The general sat back himself. "So you see, Commander… that kind of mercy is dangerous."

o o o

Naroz was walking through the halls of the Fire Palace, looking for Zuko. He found the Fire Lord on one of the upper balconies of the Palace looking out at a glorious sunset. The sun had gone down and had left behind a sky with a dazzling array of colors; clouds glowed with magnificent purples and fiery pinks, oranges, and reds. Further up, the sky deepened in color towards night, fading from pale blue into midnight.

Naroz announced his presence by clearing his throat. "I can see why you're here."

"Yes." Zuko smiled. "It's better if you see it higher up. You see more of the horizon." He kept looking at the fading colors. "It reminds me of better times, too."

"Ah. When your father showed sunsets like this."

"No." Zuko chuckled. "My uncle."

He turned around. "When we were on the run in the Earth Kingdom, we had a string of bad luck—people ran us off when we tried to gather food, we got rained on when we had no shelter, a pack of wolfbats chased us away from our campsite. But we pressed on. It's not like we had any choice."

Zuko smiled. "Eventually we found some food and a dry cave to sleep in. Just being there in that cave, safe and dry with a full belly, I felt like I didn't need anything else. And then we saw a sunset. It had been cloudy all day, but when the sun finally came out, it did something like this." He gestured to the sunset. "And then my uncle said something I didn't get at first." His voice dropped into a raspy imitation of Iroh. "He said, 'That is one thing I can say about days like today, nephew: sometimes cloudy days make for the most _beautiful_ sunsets.' "

He shrugged. "I didn't get it at first because I was just looking at the sunset… but then I got it the next morning. We went through all that trouble to find food, to find shelter, but we did it. That food tasted so good once we got it, better than any royal banquet I've ever had. And it felt so good to be safe and dry. It's like when you're pushing on with a problem and you keep at it—when you're successful, it just feels so good... like this sunset. Like it's worth it to keep pushing on, even when it's difficult." Zuko shrugged again and grinned. "At least, that's what I got out of what he said."

Naroz smiled. "Your uncle is a wise man."

"Yeah. Yeah, he is."

Naroz came to the railing and sighed. "You know, I think it's unfortunate the way things turned out. I think you've handled things very well and yet… if there had just been time for training, more experience, maybe things would be different. Maybe things would be better."

Zuko frowned. "Every time I turn around, General, it seems like you're saying something to knock what I'm doing."

Naroz turned to look at him. "Do you ever wonder _why_ I do that?"

"Yeah, I do. Why? Why are you constantly criticizing me?"

Naroz looked at the fading sunset and smiled. "A cadet I trained asked me that once… a cadet by the name of Lu Ten."

Zuko's eyes went wide. "You knew Lu Ten? You trained him?"

"Yes, I did."

"What happened?"

"I had been riding him hard through training, pointing out his weak points, driving into him the need to practice, always practice—and then I physically demonstrated to him what was wrong. _On_ him, more often then not."

Naroz eased his shoulders. "One day he asked for permission to speak freely; I granted it. He asked me why I treated him so harshly, more so than I did with the other cadets. He didn't think it was fair."

Zuko waited for more.

It wasn't forthcoming.

He gestured. "What did you say?"

"I told him that indeed I wasn't being fair, and that life wasn't going to be fair, either. He was the son of the Crown Prince—your uncle, Iroh—and so he was slated to succeed his father as Fire Lord. Life would come harder at him than at anyone else in the Fire Nation." Naroz looked at him. "It was better that _I_ point out his weak areas than have an enemy do it for him—and do it far less gently than I was doing."

"He died at Ba Sing Se, you know."

"Yes." Naroz looked back at the sunset. "I know."

"The way a Crown Prince or Princess is traditionally raised is the way your uncle handled your cousin," he continued. "They enter the military and learn what it's like to be a soldier, how to take orders, and how to give them. This is to give them experience in the field, to sharpen them, to toughen them, so when the time comes for them to rule the Fire Nation… they have that experience to fall back on." Naroz sighed. "Unfortunately, sometimes, despite our best efforts… we lose people."

"My _life_ changed that day because we 'lost people', General!" Zuko glared at him. "I lost my cousin, my uncle lost his son, _he_ lost his throne, _I_ lost my mother, and all of a sudden, I was the Crown Prince! With Azula openly wondering why I was, when she was so much better! _And_ my father!"

"I know. I know that too." Naroz looked at him with sympathy. "I'm sorry. I know it's miniscule in comparison… everything you lost, and had to go through… but I'm sorry."

Zuko wanted to rage at him, now that that wound was bare again… but he knew what his uncle would have thought of that—indeed what he himself would think of it later on if he continued. Somehow, he just nodded.

Naroz bowed his head. "Your father made a mistake when he sent you into exile, too. You learned what it meant to be a soldier, yes—but in disgrace. Guilt and shame were your teachers, not your father."

"Not entirely," said Zuko, still a little raw. "My uncle taught me a lot. I learned from him how to be what I am."

"Yes… he did teach you a lot." Naroz looked at Zuko. "But you also had to overcome what your father _thought_ he was teaching you. You should never have had to deal with that burden."

Zuko looked at the sunset. "I can't disagree with that."

Naroz smiled sadly. "I wish things were different. I wish you had had time to learn. I wish you had had time to gain experience before you were truly tested. And burdened."

"I wouldn't mind, either." Zuko looked back to Naroz. "But I am what I am, now. There's no going back. There's no way to change the past." He smiled slightly. "I have to be what I am. Though… I like to think I'm open to opinions."

Naroz looked at him… and smiled. "I think you do your teacher credit, Fire Lord."

Zuko nodded and smiled. "Thank you, General. Good night."

Naroz bowed. "Good night, my lord."

Zuko left the balcony for his quarters. Naroz watched him go... and he was wistful.


	20. Chapter 20: The Wedding

You know, I never thought I'd see such different comments regarding Naroz. Someone likes the conversation he had with Zuko, while someone else just wants to slap him. XD I love it.

I guess you could say that Naroz comes from an older, "tough love" generation; after I wrote that part, I got to wondering if Naroz could see the value in the way Zuko got his education; it may not be military, but it's certainly valuable, and applicable to what Zuko's going through right now.

In my opinion. XD Thanks again for reading, everybody, and especially for commenting.

Chapter 20.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty:<strong>  
><strong>The Wedding<strong>

"...and so Dad says, 'That's all right, we'll eat the fish anyway!' " Katara said as she worked on patching a coat. Her friend Rava laughed.

They worked on sewing for a while. Then Rava said, "I don't know how you do it, Katara."

Katara looked up. "Do what?"

"How you're able to stand it. If I knew my boyfriend was on the other side of the world, I'd be so worried."

"Well, I am," Katara said. "But he _is_ the Avatar, after all. I mean, he has been taking care of himself for a while."

"Yeah, I know," said Rava. "I'd still wanna _be_ there, be with him. Even if he were gone on a fishing trip for a few days, I'd wanna…"

"Yeah, I do too… but I know he's coming back. And we talked, and he knows I need to be here."

"Why?"

"I wanted to be with Dad a little longer, since we were here. I don't know when we're going to see him again." Katara shrugged and smiled. "It's good to be a part of the Tribe again, too."

"Katara, you'll always be a part of the Tribe. You can't help that."

"Yeah, I know…" Katara smiled.

"Okay, Katara." Rava went back to her sewing, and after a while, so did Katara.

At night, the questions kept coming back, and the worries. She tossed and turned, tried to get comfortable, tried to think of something else, tried to not think, tried to think of happy things…

Thinking of happy things now, though, brought Aang more to mind… happy times spent with him, times when he needed her. That got her off to sleep… most nights.

One night, though, there was a wedding.

One of Katara's older friends had fallen in love with one of the young men from the Northern Water Tribe, one of Pakku's Waterbenders. It was held the night of the full moon, in the open air. The sky and the weather cooperated; the wind was still and the sky was cloudless, and all the stars were out. All the Tribe was there.

Kanna, old Gran-Gran, officiated.

"Do you, Seela, take Kanor to be your husband?" Kanna asked. "To love him and support him, to be one with him? To share with him all things? —Well, all things necessary." There was a chuckle. "To be his support, his guide, his friend, and his love, now, and until you part for the Spirit World?"

The bride nodded, brimming with happiness. "I do, and I will."

Kanna turned to the groom.

"Do you, Kanor, take Seela to be your wife? To love her and support her, to be one with her? To be helpmate and lovemate, steadfast and yielding as she needs? To share with her all things, to be her finder, her helper, her lover, her friend, now, and until you part for the Spirit World?"

The groom all but glowed. "I do. Now, and forever."

Katara looked at them. Kanor and Seela: man and woman, boyfriend and girlfriend before, now, about to be something more. As if Katara needed another reminder of what she didn't have at the moment.

Then a light blue Aang peeked out from behind Kanor.

Katara couldn't believe her eyes.

Apparently Aang couldn't believe his eyes, either. He gawked in amazement and rubbed his eyes, looked again… and broke into an ear-to-ear toothy grin. He waved furiously.

Katara went to wave back—then realized no one else could see Aang… just her. The rational part of her wondered what in the world was going on… but the rest of her discreetly looked to the left, then looked again to the right—then made a little flutter-wave. Aang laughed silently.

Kanna nodded to the bride and groom. "Give your charms to each other, in token of your promises."

The bride showed the groom a little four-flippered penguin, carved from bone and tied to a loop of string, which he appreciated. She tied it around his neck. In turn, the groom showed her an azure ivory carving of a mighty arctic bear. She chuckled and gave him a little push. He grinned and knotted the bear's string around her throat.

Aang stood still there for a moment, admiring the gift Seela had given Kanor—then did a pompously proud imitation of Kanor and marched in place. Katara giggled once, then clamped her mouth shut. Sokka looked over briefly, wondering if she had a hiccup.

Again Kanna looked at the bride and groom. "What you have said out loud is the reflection of what's inside. May they both be the same, now and always."

She raised a hand. "May the Spirits of the Moon and the Ocean bear witness. As the Moon rises and as it sets, as the Ocean rises and as it falls, may they keep you and guide you in your lives together."

People went forward to congratulate the new couple. Aang waved furiously at Katara again, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted. She couldn't hear a thing, but somehow she could read his lips.

_I love you!_

Tears welled in Katara's eyes as she grinned. She put her hands to her mouth to cup her own shout. Silently she yelled back.

_I love you too!_

Aang's happiness was radiant. He closed his eyes and beamed.

He faded away.

Sokka smiled. "I knew Kanor from the attack on the North Pole. It'll be great to have him around here longer." He turned to Katara, smiling—and the smile vanished. "Katara, you're—you're crying!"

She nodded, still smiling.

"But… but why—"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

He folded his arms. "C'mon. Try me."

"Sokka, I—" She turned to him. "I just saw Aang."

"_What?_ I don't believe it!"

She grinned. "Told you."

Katara turned back to where Kanor and Seela were, where Aang had been a moment ago. "It's time. We have to go back."

"Well, I guess if you want to. I mean, the party's just started!"

"No, Sokka! I mean it's time to head for the rendezvous. We have to go back to Aang and Toph."

"Yeah." Sokka smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess it's about time. But can't this wait til tomorrow?''

Katara gave him a shove. "Yeah, go ahead, get your fill of blubbered seal jerky."

Sokka lit up. "I knew there was a reason why I love you." He headed for the food.

Katara smiled, and looked at the moon. "Yeah… there sure is."

o o o

Deep in the heart of the Earth Kingdom, Aang woke up with a start. He caught his breath and looked around.

He scuttled over to Toph's Earth tent and knocked on it. "Toph! Toph! You won't believe what I just saw!"

Inside the tent, Toph snore-snorted herself out of a sound sleep. "And this can't possibly wait til morning," she said in a gravelly voice.

"Toph, you won't believe it! I just saw Katara!"

Toph lowered the front panel of her tent, hair bristled out in all directions like a hedgepig's. "Well, whoop-de-do. I hope you had a good dreamy make-out session with her. Good night!" She promptly shut the panel again.

"But that's just it! I thought it wasn't a—"

Then Aang stopped and thought about it. "—A dream…"

The more he thought about it, the less he understood about what had happened. Eventually he too went back to bed, if only to try and recapture that good dream.

o o o

The next morning, Katara went with Sokka to tell her father—and Hakoda was a study of mixed emotions.

Katara couldn't contain herself. "Dad, please, I know it sounds silly—"

"I know what it sounds like, Katara. My daughter, chasing off after a thirteen year-old boy—"

"Who's the Avatar, Dad."

"—Who's the Avatar. Yes, I know."

Sokka looked up. "Dad, if you're concerned about our family's honor—"

"No, Sokka, I'm not concerned about that. I'm more concerned about my family's safety than anything." Hakoda looked at them. "But you two headed away from the village a year ago to chase after the Avatar, and here you are now, safe and sound. You've done more than people I know twice your age could have done. I think you can take care of yourselves."

Katara beamed. "Dad, thank you, I—"

"Just a moment, Katara. I didn't say I'd let you go. Not yet." He looked her in the eye. "I want you both to think about this, to make sure about what you're doing. Then I want you to form a plan as to what you're going to do and how you're going to do it."

Katara nodded. "We can do that."

"Good. I'll talk to both of you when you're ready."

Katara and Sokka left. Once they were out of sight, Hakoda looked to the sky and smiled. "She takes after you, you know."

o o o

Katara and Sokka left the next day on a trading ship bound for the Earth Kingdom. Hakoda saw them off and waved goodbye.

Bato came over to him. "You're letting them go?"

"You know them, Bato. Don't you think they'd go anyway?" Hakoda turned back to the sea. "This way I know they've thought about it, and they have a plan."

Bato smiled. "More than we had, a lot of times."

Hakoda smiled back. "Exactly."

On board the ship, Sokka went over to Katara, who was standing by the railing looking back at the village. "I still can't believe I let you talk me into this," he said.

"Oh, of course, O Great Protector." Katara smiled wryly. "It _was_ part of the plan, remember? You'd stay behind until I was ready to leave, and then you'd come back north with me."

"Yeah, yeah, I remember." Sokka smiled. "I still have to be crazy to do this."

Katara chuckled. "Uh-huh… and once seeing Suki on the way to the rendezvous was involved…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Sokka casually waved that away. "But I still think Aang is going to have Ty Lee on his list—like I pointed out yesterday when we planned this. And to find her, you have to find Suki."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Naturally."

"And since we know Aang will try to find _them_… look, one group we're trying to find has a flying bison. The other doesn't. Which one is easier to catch?"

"Okay, okay, you have a point."

Sokka straightened and smiled in victory.

Even when Katara poked him in the chest. "But I still think you're doing this to see Suki!"


	21. Chapter 21: The Dragon of the West

**Chapter Twenty-One:**  
><strong>The Dragon of the West<strong>

"We're making some progress," General Togo said with some relief. "It took a while, and it took a lot more time and materials than we thought, but the new barracks are finally being built. And they _are_ having positive effects. There are fewer soldiers in the streets, so there's less overcrowding and fewer disturbances. And the colonists see that we're doing something about the problem, so they're happier."

Xhong raised an eyebrow. "Anecdote or fact, General?"

"Fact, General Xhong." Togo smiled. "People from the cities are saying thank you to the workers building the barracks. In fact, there's been more than one instance of merchants bringing food and drink out to the worksites."

"Good." Zuko smiled. "I'm glad we're getting through to them." Even Xhong's expression lightened a little.

There was a stir out in the hall. The guards were letting someone through, unannounced.

Xhong stood and blocked the way. "_Who disturbs the Fire Lord's Council?_" he challenged loudly. Zuko looked askance at him; he knew Xhong wanted to regain some standing, but still…

"I humbly beg your pardon, General," said a familiar voice. "I did not mean to disturb anyone. May I enter, please?"

Zuko looked around Xhong, and there, not in an ancient cuirass and dumpy, lumpy off-red robes but modern black and gold combat armor, was Iroh.

Zuko felt relief flow through him like warm sunshine.

That mood wasn't shared by the whole council; there were a few grumbles from the officers. "General Iroh." A female army officer stood. "It is... fascinating to see you here, after your antics at Ba Sing Se."

"Really?" Iroh's eyes were serious, more or less. "How so, General Toda?"

Toda's voice was dry and cool. "I was not aware that the guards allowed traitors to access this room. At last report, you were listed among the 'liberators' of Ba Sing Se... and thus a traitor to the Fire Nation." There were a few discreet grumbles of agreement—although Togo flashed her an angry look. Naroz merely watched quietly.

"I believe that is a matter for the Fire Lord to decide." Iroh turned to Zuko. "Am I a traitor, Fire Lord?"

Zuko smiled warmly... and he was tempted to let that be his answer.

"No, Uncle. You are welcome here. The only times you have spoken against me are times when I needed to hear it."

"That's a pleasant surprise," Xhong said under his breath—but he sat down with the others.

An aide fetched a chair for the new arrival. The meeting continued with its regular business on a slightly lighter note… but Naroz did cast a glance at Iroh every so often.

o o o

Zuko and Iroh walked through the gardens after the meeting.

"What took you so long?" Zuko smiled. "I was getting worried!"

"Worried? Why? I think you are doing a fine job."

"No, not about me! About you! I didn't hear anything from you in the longest time."

"That is true. I could have sent you a letter with a hint about my intentions." Iroh turned to Zuko as they walked. "I travelled openly until I reached the Fire Nation border... and then I felt it was wiser to travel incognito."

"Incognito? Why? The war is over, you would have been safe—"

"On the contrary, Prince Zuko—"

Zuko looked at him in surprise. Iroh sheepishly grinned back. "Sorry. Old habit." He sobered. "Once I got to the Fire Nation border, I heard about your father."

Zuko's eyes went wide. "But how?" he asked in a strained voice. "I thought we had kept that quiet."

"You have." Iroh nodded. "I did not hear through ordinary means. And that is a good thing."

Zuko had a feeling as to how Iroh had learned of Ozai's death, and he felt he shouldn't ask further. He kept his voice hushed. "Do you know who did it?"

"No, I don't. And I did not come because of him. But I'm glad I am here."

"Me, too." Zuko smiled. "So why did you come? Especially since I'm doing such a fine job."

Iroh smiled at that, then grew serious. "I came because I felt I would be of use to you."

"Uncle, I could have used you from the beginning. You were always welcome here, you know that!"

"Yes." Iroh smiled. "And as I told you, it was important that you stand on your own, and be seen to do so—that all would know you are no one's puppet. You have done that, and you have done very well."

He brought his hands together in the sleeves of his robes. "These are no ordinary times. The unrest continues in the Colonies, and elsewhere. You have shown to the world you can stand on your own. Now there is no harm in letting the world see those who love you helping you. And that is why I am here."

Zuko's eyes shone.

He hugged Iroh. "I can't tell you how good it is to have you here."

Iroh hugged back. "I feel the same way." They parted, and Iroh raised a finger. "I do come with a little good news. When I passed through the Colony cities, I saw more Earth Kingdom merchants there than I have before. Some of them are living there, too, and have Fire Nation people as their neighbors."

"Really?" Zuko was astounded. "That's incredible! That's wonderful news. So they're living peaceably then, together."

"Yes."

"I never would have imagined it." Then Zuko sobered, and exhaled. "I was right then. News about Father would have eaten them up, if people had known."

"Zuko: there is no good reason why anyone from the Earth Kingdom would want your father dead, except perhaps revenge. It would only stir up the Fire Nation—and the Earth Kingdom does not need that."

"Yes. We thought about that." Zuko grew more somber still. "We thought there might be a traitor here."

"I would suggest that you are dealing with another kind of traitor." Iroh grew more serious still. "One that would benefit from both your father's death and from the trouble they are trying to cause with the Earth Kingdom."

"Someone who wants war…" Zuko's hand came to his chin as he thought. He turned. "As a distraction?"

"Quite possibly."

"That's not good." Zuko walked on. "I've had my hands full trying to keep people from going after the Earth Kingdom—and each other, for that matter. "He turned to Iroh. "I could use some help."

"And that is what I am here to provide—Fire Lord Zuko." Iroh bowed with a smile—which was happily returned. Iroh straightened, then grew serious again. "But you must be careful. It is a logical conclusion that whoever came after your father... would also come after you."

o o o

"I don't get it." Aang shook his head as they flew aboard Appa. "Something's wrong here. So far every last one of these people on this new list is missing. A few of them I could understand, but all of them? That doesn't make sense."

He waited for a response, then looked over his shoulder. "Well?"

Toph shrugged. "Hey, don't look at me. I agree. It's weird."

"Well, why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't think I needed to. I thought you were talking to yourself."

Aang faced around front again and shook his head. "I gotta get Katara and Sokka back."

"I'm all for that."

Aang shook his head and turned around. "I'm sorry, Toph. I shouldn't have said that. What I meant was—"

"Save it, Twinkletoes. I know what you meant. I think we both feel the same way."

They flew on to look for the next name on the list. On landing at the village, they went to see the village headman, a gray-haired bearded man in his sixties.

"Excuse me," said Aang. "We're looking for a man named Chung Hua."

"That'd be me," the man replied. "And it sure is an honor to meet you, Avatar." He brought his hands together and bowed. "A real honor."

Aang smiled and bowed in similar fashion. "It's an honor to meet you, too." He straightened. "I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Chung Hua gestured. "Shoot."

Aang tilted his head. "Do you know why I'm here?"

"Somewhat. Word's going 'round that you're lookin' for people who might be Airbenders, and askin' 'em if they've ever felt like this and that. That… and you've got a new girlfriend."

Aang went from cheerful to boiling in an instant. "_**She's not my girlfriend!**_"

Chung chuckled. "I'm sorry, Avatar. Just had to poke atcha a little bit. I didn't think that was true."

"Oh… okay. Good." Aang regained his composure—mostly. "So… _do_ you ever feel like you can move air?"

Chung sighed. "I wish I could help ya. I feel gassy from time to time, depending on what the wife puts on the table, but that's about the only time I feel like making any wind at all."

Toph sighed exasperatedly. "What is it with guys and fart jokes?"

Aang gave her a wry look. "Like _you_ never told any." Toph smirked.

"I'm sorry, Avatar." Chung Hua held his hands out to the side. "But it's been so long since your kind have been around. The Air Nomads weren't the most popular of folks with the Fire Nation, as I think you know. It could be that your people hid themselves so well, they forgot who they were. That or, well… the Fire Nation found 'em first."

"Yeah." Aang looked at the ground. "I know."

After a moment, Aang looked at Chung Hua again. "Well, just have to keep looking, I guess. Thanks for your time."

Chung nodded. "Not a problem, Avatar."

Aang turned to head back, but then he saw a group of people that didn't look right—and then he realized why. "Hey, those aren't Earth Kingdom villagers—they're Fire Nation! Chung Hua—what's going on? Are they giving you trouble?"

"What?" Chung frowned. "Who's giving me trouble?"

Aang pointed. "Those Fire Nation villagers. They're supposed to have pulled back with the armies. They're not supposed to be here!"

"Oh, them. Don't worry; they're not going anywhere. They're right where they're supposed to be."

"But this is Earth Kingdom territory!"

"Yes it is, some of the time. And the rest of the time it's Fire Nation."

"What?" Toph got a quizzical look on her face.

Aang was confused. "I don't understand."

"Thing is, this village was near the front a lot during the war. It changed hands several times. Fire Nation folks moved in to stay, then the Earth Kingdom'd take the village back, and so on. We've had people from both sides living here for a long time."

"Then about sixty years ago, a long time before you were born—"

Aang grinned. "I don't think so."

"You know what? You're right!" Chung chuckled. "Well, anyway, about that time, some of the villagers started to take a liking to some of the Fire Nation folks. Viewed 'em more as neighbors rather than Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom this or that. They started looking out for each other, taking care of each other. Heck, the village belonged to both sides, really, so why not? And the two groups cooperated—the Fire Nation folks helped out with furnaces and forges and such, and we Earth Kingdom folks did the digging and mining and so on. It worked out real well. That's simplifying it quite a bit of course, but you get the idea."

He spread his arms. "Eventually they told both sides that this was _one village_. We might be two kinds of people, but this is _our village_. It belongs to all of us. And most of the time, the soldiers left us alone. Didn't want to hurt their own people, whichever one that was. Other times, well… we showed 'em why they _should_ leave us alone."

Chung smiled. "Let me tell you something, Avatar—and begging your pardon for being windy here m'self, but I thought you ought to know—I know what the Fire Nation's put you through personally, and I know there are people out there that'll tell you this kind of thing can't work—that Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom fight like cats and dogs and you can't have their people side by side. Well, I can tell you from experience that this is _our_ land, _our_ village, together, Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation alike. And we wouldn't have it any other way."

Aang thought for a moment. Then he smiled and bowed. "Thank you for your words, Chung Hua. You've given me a lot to think about."

"Any time, Avatar." Chung bowed too. "Any time."

Aang and Toph flew off. "Well, we didn't find another Airbender, but we did find something interesting," said Aang.

"Yeah. What a blowhard!" When Aang snapped around, Toph grinned. "Not. Just kidding."

"Yeah." Aang smiled as he turned to front again. "You do that." They flew off toward their next contact.

Had they stayed a little longer, they might have noticed a group of shadowy figures clinging to the rocks above the village. A moment more, and they might have seen the figures head for the village below.


	22. Chapter 22: Why

**Chapter Twenty-Two:**  
><strong>Why<strong>

It was cloudy when the Fire Lord came to the Sanitarium. The dark gray thunderheads swelled against each other and rumbled, but there was no lightning. Yet.

The column of people that wound around the halls and up the stairs was quiet. The physicians did most of the talking as they informed Zuko of their patient's condition. Occasionally Zuko would ask a question; he was answered obsequiously, the doctors all but falling over themselves in their haste to answer.

Inside there was yellow lamplight and dark walls. The turns to the room were serpentine, winding back and forth. Guards straightened as the Fire Lord approached.

Finally, they were there.

The Fire Lord shed his outer cloak and handed it to a retainer, then walked the last hallway alone.

He stood in front of the mirror, between it and the bars.

Azula was sitting on the floor by the thin slit of window in the wall, looking out. She heard breathing nearby; she slowly turned her head toward the bars and saw Zuko standing there. She looked at him.

He looked at her.

A long moment passed.

She lunged at Zuko. Blue fire speared out of her hand—but a quick angular block by Zuko deflected it down the hallway. Zuko's guards weren't too pleased.

She laughed and slowly spun to her feet.

He frowned deeper, his voice dry, rough, and quiet. "Azula."

"Brother! So nice of you to come and visit me. I'd offer you a chair, but… for some reason I don't have one." She finished with a squinty smirk.

"I suppose I should be glad you have your sense of humor."

"That's not all I have, brother dear… come closer." She lowered her voice. "I'll be happy to show you."

"No."

"So the puppy still has his favorite word!" She laughed. "I'm so glad. I was afraid you had lost it during your time with that Water Tribe girl." She turned innocent. "Does Mai know? I'm sure she would _love_ to know."

"Mai knows everything. She wanted to come with me today. I wouldn't let her."

"Why?" The question rang in the room. "Why didn't you let her come with you, so I could _see her face?_"

"You just said why." Zuko folded his arms. "I didn't know what you would do when you saw each other. I thought it was safer to keep you apart."

"Well, I suppose I could understand. A traitor harboring traitors, it must come naturally to you…"

Zuko let that pass.

Azula sat back down. "So why _are_ you here, then?" She looked at the ceiling. "Come here to gloat, I suppose…"

"I came here to see how you were."

Azula rolled her head a little, back and forth. "Drinking in the sight of me behind—" She stopped rolling. "What?"

"I said, I came to see how you w—"

"I heard what you said, you repetitious hogmonkey. Why?"

Zuko shrugged. "Why what?"

She stood. "Why would you come to see how I was? That makes no sense."

"Why?"

"Now you're asking me why?" She put her hands on her hips. "Think about it. I attacked you. More than once. I shot lightning at your Watery friend—which you blocked, and for which you paid the price. I have been better than you all—your—life. And you come to me to see how _I_ am?"

"Yes."

"Why? That's crazy!"

A dry smile from Zuko. "It takes one to know one, I suppose."

Azula went to say something—then stopped. "All right, I suppose that was a _half_-decent comeback."

"How are you?"

"And now you're asking me how I am. Curiouser and curiouser. You still haven't answered my question, Zu-Zu."

"As to why I'm asking in the first place."

"Correct."

"Because."

Azula ground her teeth. "_That_ answer isn't fair, Zuko."

Zuko kept his voice even. "I would think it would be obvious. I _asked_ because I wanted to know how you are."

She sighed. "Very well… you _are_ persistent, as usual." She looked at him head-on. "I am physically in tolerable shape, but I am attended by visions of myself, Mai, and Ty Lee in various forms, all wearing my face. And I am occasionally tormented by visions of Mai herself and our mother." She looked at the ceiling. "Though thankfully I haven't had to put up with visions of _you_ wearing my face. That's a small blessing, I suppose."

Zuko clenched his teeth. "That isn't funny, Azula."

"Really? I thought it was quite hilarious. Especially when the Ty Lee version of me walks around in a handstand."

"Very well." He glared at her, but his voice stayed low and raspy. "I came to see how you were… and I think I have my answer." He turned and walked back down the hallway.

She waved. "So long, Zu-Zu! Do come again, won't you?" She raised a hand to cup her voice. "And tell those peasants in the kitchen to use _orange_ for the orange sauce!"

She sat there with a crazy grin on her face as the footsteps faded… and then the grin faded too, into a sad perplexity.

She looked down the hall. "So what _was_ all that about? Why could he possibly…?"

Armor-Azula faded into being. "Oh, I think you know already, Azula dear. Why else would he ask about the condition of one of his greatest enemies?"

Azula's face hardened. "That's exactly what I was thinking."

No one else disturbed the quiet. Azula's scowl deepened… and so did Armor-Azula's smirk.

"Actually…"

Azula turned to her Ty Lee self… who looked thoughtful.

"I think he came here because he really wanted to see how you were… because he cares."

Armor-Azula all but fell off her feet with laughter. "Because he cares! Did you hear that? _Because he cares!_ Ahahahahah! Did you ever hear a more ridiculous thing?"

"Hey… it isn't ridiculous…" Ty Lee-Azula looked hurt, and she slowly shrank.

"Yes…" Azula looked at the floor. "Utterly ridiculous…" She stayed that way for a moment.

"But... if he views me as an enemy…" Azula shifted slightly. "It would be simple enough to send someone else to look at me…"

"Yes," agreed Ty Lee-Azula. "Exactly. He didn't have to come himself."

"Except if he wanted to _see_ his enemy himself," said Armor-Azula, "with his own eyes."

"Yes, if he _sees_ her as an enemy. And if he did, he has her right where he wants her. He doesn't have to do anything. He could have stoneworkers block her in forever and forget her." Ty Lee-Azula reached out. "But he didn't."

Armor-Azula slapped her hand away. "You're misreading his intentions! He couldn't possibly feel that way."

"How do _you_ know?"

"He's my brother! I know!"

Mai-Azula yawned into being. "Do you really think this will do any good?"

The three of them bickered around Azula for a while… then suddenly Azula raised her hand.

"What if… he really did care?"

Silence.

"Please." Armor-Azula laughed. "Why would he care about you?"

Azula didn't answer.

Armor-Azula scoffed. "There! You see?"

"But at the same time… he did come here."

"I don't believe this. You actually think that he…"

Azula kept thinking.

Ty Lee-Azula smiled… impishly… and tiptoed away.

Armor-Azula all but stamped her foot. "There is absolutely no good reason why he would do that! You know how he is! There has to be an ulterior motive, some clever little nothing that he thinks…"

Armor-Azula kept arguing her case and wasn't answered. Eventually she faded away, still arguing… about the same time Azula dropped off to sleep.

o o o

In the days that followed, Azula's selves went over the same question again, and again, and again, eventually blending into a background din. Azula pondered and pondered… and then pondered some more. Then she stopped. She laughed.

_Even if he had said, "Because I care about you," would I have believed it? From him?_

Azula wasn't sure where to go with that thought… so after a while, she tossed it to her various selves.

And, for the first time, she laughed at them.

o o o

Zuko told Mai about his visit the next morning, over breakfast on the veranda. The air was a little cool, but it was still warm enough to comfortably be outside.

"So you saw her, then," said Mai.

"Yes."

"I'm surprised you did."

"I thought I should. She is my sister."

"And you're her brother. Did she ever show that? Ever?"

Zuko looked away. "A few times."

"Yeah. When she wanted to use you. Or when she wanted to get the two of us apart."

Zuko didn't answer.

Mai folded her arms. "Zuko, I think this is one time when you shouldn't have thought about what you _should_ do."

He looked at her. "Yeah. So you're telling me. Besides which, it's done."

"Obviously." Mai looked away.

A few birds chirped as they flew by.

"So…" Mai said, still looking away.

"So?"

"How is she?"

"Still crazy. But I think she's getting better. She was more lucid this time."

"More lucid than when she threw fire at you?"

"Well, she did that, too."

"Lovely." The corner of her lip turned up. "Did you still want to see her?"

He glare-smiled, then threw a napkin at her. She batted it aside and gave him a dry smile… and they laughed.


	23. Chapter 23: In Pursuit

**Chapter Twenty-Three:**  
><strong>In Pursuit<strong>

"I will say it again—this is an outright provocation by the Fire Nation!" an Earth Kingdom general proclaimed at the Earth Regent's Council. "They are delaying as long as they can, hoping we'll forget!"

"No!" said another. "You heard their reasons! The reasons they gave for the delay are sound! They need more time to accommodate their people!"

"One wonders who is accommodating _whom_, General Hou."

"Oh indeed, Tsien! You accommodated the Dai Li readily enough, as I recall!"

"_That—is—enough._"

In the resulting silence, the Earth Regent glared at the rest of the table. "This bickering will get us nowhere. I won't have it said that our generals are fighting each other more than they fight anyone else."

Apparently General Tsien didn't get the message. "May I remind the Regent that this is a matter of utmost importance? And if the Fire Nation delays any longer, it might endanger the Earth Kingdom?"

The Earth Regent turned to look at him. "The Regent is reminded." She raised an eyebrow. "Anything further?"

The general reluctantly dialed himself back to a simmer. "No, your Highness."

"Your Highness, might I suggest that we _do_ deploy more troops," said Long Feng. "I agree with General Tsien. The Fire Nation needs a reminder now and then that our patience is limited."

"And speaking of patience, I have to wonder why _you_ support such a move," said General Hou. "Given _your_ past actions."

"Ah, but I'm the devil you know, General Hou," Long Feng replied, smiling. "You know my intentions, and my situation. You _don't_ know what the Fire Nation is up to."

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I do." Hou drew himself up. "Our spies in the Fire Nation camps tell us—"

"—things that Fire Nation spies could have told _them_," finished Long Feng. "I think it's clear we have to speak in language the Fire Nation understands."

"That's not necessary. Nor is it true! We have it on good account from several sources—"

"At least let us send one more division of troops to reinforce our lines. It will remind the Fire Nation that our patience has limits."

The Regent raised a hand for silence. She looked around the council and considered, then decided. "Very well...give the order."

"Yes, your Highness." Long Feng bowed.

o o o

There had been no sign of Katara and Sokka at the village rendezvous point, and they hadn't left any word with the villagers. To Aang and Toph, that meant Katara and Sokka were either still at the South Pole or on their way from there. The Southern Water Tribe would know for sure, one way or the other. Going there made more sense than searching the Earth Kingdom's backcountry.

The last leg to the South Pole was the longest one, as far as Toph and Aang were concerned. Aang was never so glad to see the southern ice—and then it went on forever. For Toph, who couldn't see the ice at all, it was like riding in an ever-colder fur-covered cave. After a while, she said as much. Appa merely rumbled. It didn't sound like he was offended.

They had barely landed at the Southern Water Tribe village when Bato walked up to them. "I'm sorry, Aang. They left a few weeks ago."

"_Left?_" Aang was wide-eyed. "Where?"

"To the Earth Kingdom. They thought you would look for the Kyoshi Warriors."

"The Kyoshi Warriors?" Then Aang understood. "Ty Lee. And Suki."

He flipped the reins. "Appa, yip yip! Yip yip!" Appa roared and took off in a rush of wind, making the snow swirl around. Aang turned him around and called down, "Thanks, Bato!"

Bato watched them go. "There they go again." Then he went to tell Hakoda.

Or started to. To Bato's amazement, Appa, still low on the water and in spite of Aang's efforts and appeals otherwise, turned around and came back in for a landing. Once safely down, Appa summarily closed his eyes and settled in. Aang wafted himself off of Appa's head and approached Bato.

"Appa just reminded me that he's been flying all day and could really use some rest," he said sheepishly. "Could we please stay someplace for the night?"

Bato smiled. "I think that can be arranged."

o o o

The trip on the Water Tribe trading ship had been fairly fast—faster than walking, anyway—and when the ship reached its destination, Sokka and Katara decided to travel on by sea, this time on board an Earth Kingdom ship. They figured that the Kyoshi Warriors would be near the Earth/Fire border, helping keep the peace or assisting in some way. The ship they chose was headed in that direction.

The scenery going by had been interesting for a while, but they looked forward to each port, which brought fresh food and news. Word had reached the south of the Avatar's quest. And that wasn't all that Katara and Sokka heard.

Katara jerked back, then narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"Yeah, that's what I heard," the woman minding the vegetable stand said. "The Avatar got himself a new girlfriend. Some Earthbender girl, named… Tofu, or something."

"_Tofu?_" Sokka laughed. "But that's bean curd!"

"Yeah, I know! But that's what she said." The stallkeeper touched her chin and thought. " 'Course, that was my brother's brother-in-law's half-sister who said it, so they coulda got the name wrong. But that's what I heard." She nodded.

"Excuse me," Katara said coolly. "_I'm_ the Avatar's girlfriend. The name's Katara… and I'm a Waterbender."

"You are? Well, I'd say you got yourself a problem, sweetie!"

"No… _I_ don't have a problem." A water barrel nearby began to vibrate.

"Come on, Katara," said Sokka, still chuckling. "We have to get back to the ship." Then he saw the water barrel. "Um, Katara…"

Katara whipped around. "_What_, Sokka?"

"We have to get back to the ship. I mean, we _really_ have to."

Her scowl grew like thunderclouds forming… then she let it go. "All right. Let's go." They headed back to the ship.

"Hey! Good luck with your boyfriend!" the stallkeeper yelled after them.

Sokka snickered all the way back to the ship.

"Tofu." He laughed. "I'm gonna have to call Toph that when we see them."

"Yeah. Call her that." Katara's smile was not friendly. "I'd like to see what she does when you do."

"Yeah, she'll probably turn me into a game piece for whack-a-badgermole or something," Sokka said, chuckling.

Then he saw Katara's face. He stopped chuckling. "Katara, you don't believe—"

"Believe what?"

"That Aang would do something like that. You know what he's like. You don't think he'd really…"

Katara laughed. "Of course I don't, Sokka! What makes you think that? He'd never do something like that."

"I mean, it _is_ logical that people would see the two of them together, and think… you know. But still—this is _Aang_ we're talking about. He'd _never_ do that!"

"Yeah." Katara chuckled. "He'd never do that."

They headed for the Earth Kingdom ship.

"I mean... I don't _think_ he would…"


	24. Chapter 24: Water and Air

Yup, LittleHogwartsGirl; tofu. XD I couldn't resist. I'm surprised I haven't seen it anywhere else, to be honest.

Chapter 24. And thanks again for reading, guys.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Four:<strong>  
><strong>Water and Air<strong>

Time went by much slower after the visit to the Earth Kingdom port. The ports started to look the same, the water always looked the same… and that question hanging in the air didn't help matters at all. On top of things, there were no other passengers aboard for this leg of the journey, and the Earth Kingdom crew kept to themselves.

"Fish." Sokka scowled at the water going by. "I'm getting tired of fish."

Katara looked over. "How could you be getting tired of fish? We had fish for days on end back home."

"I know, I know, and here they fix it seven different ways—and fix each _way_ seven different ways. But I'm still getting tired of fish. I want meat."

Katara smiled wryly at him. "You could get out and walk, you know."

"Don't think I haven't thought about it." Sokka folded his arms on the railing and lowered his head onto them. "The sacrifices I make for the mission."

She kept smiling. "I think Aang and Toph would understand if we stopped and got you some meat." But the mocking motherly tone in her voice merely made Sokka glare at her. She walked away.

Then she stopped, looking into the distance. "Wait. Is that…?"

Sokka lifted his head and looked south, where she was looking. "It's just another seagull turkey, Katara. Or another cloud. It isn't him." He lowered his head again. "Of course, I wouldn't mind a seagull turkey, either."

"I don't know… it's not moving back and forth the way a seagull turkey does."

He took another look. "So it's a single-minded seagull turkey."

"Sokka…"

"Okay, okay. But there's another thing. Why would Aang be coming from the south, anyway, instead of the north? He's still in the Earth Kingdom looking for Suki, probably."

"I know, but…" Katara kept looking at the sky.

— — —

"You sure they're gonna sail along the coast?" Toph asked.

"That's what the harbormaster said where the Water Tribe ship stopped," Aang replied. "That's what I'd do, if I didn't have Appa. Water's faster. That or make a sailing surfboard, maybe."

"Yeah, you're just Mr. Handyman, aren't you, Twinkletoes?"

Aang didn't know how to reply to that… so he kept flying.

— — —

Sokka eventually joined Katara at the rail and looked at the object in the sky. It was that, or stare at the sea some more. "I wonder if it's a Fire Nation airship, flying high up. That'd explain the straight line it's flying in."

"It would… but what would a Fire Nation airship be doing out here?"

"True."

Time passed… and the object in the sky didn't grow wings. "Hey, something's hanging down from it," said Sokka. "Maybe it _is_ an airship. That could be the gondola, underneath."

Katara squinted. "It looks like it has gondolas on both sides, then." Then she made out its color—not Fire Nation red, but…

"It's white… It's Appa! It's _Appa!_ It's them, it's them it's them!"

Sokka soon found himself engulfed in hugging sister.

"Mmmph! Hey!" After another moment, he could see the white too, and a touch of brown on the head. "Hey, it _is_ them!"

"That's what I _said_."

"Whatever." Katara glared. Sokka couldn't help but grin. "It's gonna be great to see them."

Even Katara smiled at that. "Yeah. Hey… they're turning away. They're going away, they didn't see us…"

"Okay." Sokka started looking around. "Maybe we can start a fire, send up a smoke signal or something."

"Yeah. Good idea." Katara started looking around too. Then… "Wait. Not fire… water."

She went to the rail again and reached down with her mind… then yanked up. A column of water shot up into the air, five times the height of the ship's mast. Katara held it there, flowing up into the air.

Sokka watched. "They're still going away!"

"All right." Katara swayed back and forth with her arms, back and forth, getting her hips and her whole body into it. The water column responded, waving back and forth, back and forth.

— — —

Up on high, Aang was looking left—the wrong way. "Boy, I wonder if they're out to sea or something."

"They could have docked, too, you know."

Just then, Appa roared. That brought Aang's head around. "Huh? What is it, buddy?" Appa roared again. Aang looked to the right. "It's a ship! And there's a water spout waving at us!"

"Gee." Toph propped her head on her hand and smiled. "I wonder who it could be?"

Aang turned Appa to the right, and they dove down toward the ship.

— — —

On the flight down to the South Pole, Aang thought about what he would do when he saw Katara again… what he would do, what he would say. Some of that came into his mind on the way down to the ship—along with more important things, like landing Appa _safely_—but it was amazing how just seeing her overrode everything else. Words… seemed superfluous.

Katara looked up at Appa coming in for a landing and felt… mixed. Relief and joy at Aang finding them, and seeing him again… and an uneasy feeling of doubt as to who would be getting off the flying bison: a boyfriend… or just a friend.

There wasn't much room on the stern, so Appa came around and landed on the bow of the ship. Aang wafted himself off Appa and started running for the stern, where he had last seen Katara. Katara had the same idea and was running toward the bow. He saw her. She saw him. They slowed just a moment before they collided—and engulfed each other in the biggest of hugs.

"Katara…"

"Aang…"

They held each other close, their mere contact being all they needed. They let go a little… and kissed. The world disappeared.

So did all of Katara's doubts.

Toph and Sokka walked up, she from the bow, he from the stern. Sokka raised a hand in greeting. "Hey."

"'Sup."

Sokka leaned against the rail. "Those two are really something."

"Yeah. Apart for a few months, and look at 'em."

"They really should get a room."

"Yeah, or _something_."

Katara and Aang parted. She spared a glance in their direction. And a smile. "Oh, be quiet." Then she went back to kissing Aang.

Sokka inhaled expansively. "Yup. No sense of propriety at all."

Toph nodded. "Uh-huh. Just doing it all out in public."

He shook his head. "No class at all."

"People could get ideas from seeing stuff like that."

"Yup, they sure could."

A thought occurred to Toph… and a sly expression came over her face.

She swept Sokka off his feet and dipped him low.

"Kiss me, you Water Tribe stallion," she purred to him softly.

They kissed as if to end the world… and nothing else existed.

Of course, that was what Toph daydreamed of doing—not that even _she_ would dare to do something like that, along with slight logistical matters such as how the _heck_ she would keep him from falling… but it was wonderful to think about.

She sighed.

The thought drew so much of her attention that she didn't feel footsteps coming toward her. She did feel the big bearhug that happened next—and she was very surprised.

Her nose told her at once who it was.

"I missed you, Toph."

She was stunned for a moment by Sokka's hug, but then she hugged him back hard. And then, after another moment, she cuffed him in the belly. "You—didn't—write!"

"What?"

He let go.

"You—didn't—_write!_"

Sokka's arms came up from his sides. "I would have written if I'd known you wanted me to! But—hey! Where would I send it? And how could you read it? You're blind!"

"Don't give me that! You could have sent it to the rendezvous point! And I could have _gotten_ somebody to read it, chowderhead!"

For Katara and Aang, it really wasn't a time for words. Katara gestured with a look and an eyebrow over Toph and Sokka's way and rolled her eyes, and they laughed together. Aang just looked at Katara. The feel of her body against his, the touch of her skin, the scent of her hair were all so… fulfilling. Like he had all he needed in the world, and didn't need a single thing more.

Well, one thing more. Katara was waggling her eyebrows at him and smiling. He felt like she wanted him to kiss her again.

So he did.


	25. Chapter 25: Blue Spirit, Red Spirit

Thanks, Theadora, LittleHogwartsGirl, everybody. :D

I do have to say I had _that scene_ in mind almost since the beginning of my writing this story. I just had to use it. I also have to thank Mike and Bryan for using those words in _their_ "Book 4", too. XD

So now that they're all together again... Chapter 25. And thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Five:<strong>  
><strong>Blue Spirit, Red Spirit<strong>

The Gaang got caught up on what everybody had been doing. The whole matter of "the Avatar's new girlfriend" was cleared up as Toph gave testimony as to what she had heard other people say about them and what Aang had done (and, more importantly, _not_ done). Now the group found the whole thing laughable—awkward in some places, but laughable.

Sokka did relate what the vegetable stand woman had said about "Tofu"—at which point Toph promised to try out some new Earthbending moves on him when they reached shore _and_, if he ever called her that again, that she would make bean curd out of _him_. The message was received.

"But I had to say it," Sokka said, still laughing. "You know."

"_Suuuuuuuure_ you did, Snoozles," said Toph. She was still tempted to take the metal plate underneath Sokka and give him a wedgie from below.

With the Gaang reunited, Aang turned back to his mission, and Ty Lee was next and last on the list. As it happened, the ship's captain had heard news of the Kyoshi Warriors' whereabouts and was happy to provide the Avatar with the information. (Sokka grumbled a bit that the captain had not extended the same courtesy to _Team_ Avatar before.)

Armed with that information, the Gaang boarded Appa and took off in search of the Kyoshi Warriors.

o o o

It was so tempting.

Zuko felt confined in the Palace, so restrained, so boxed in. He couldn't go anywhere without being recognized. He couldn't be anywhere within the Palace without being watched—even his own bedroom, sometimes. _That_ was annoying. He could order them all out of earshot, all out of sight… but he knew they were still there.

He did that once—and then he sneezed.

"Bless you," someone unseen said.

"Thanks." He smiled. Then... "Hey—who said that?"

Silence.

He definitely felt like a Zuko-in-the-box.

Then he saw… the mask.

It was hanging on a wall as part of a set. It reminded him so much of those days when…

He took it off the wall and examined it; it did have fastening cords, so it could be worn.

He put it back discreetly on the wall and walked away, but it did occupy his thoughts. That night, he passed by the mask again.

As he did the next night.

And the next.

The night after that, he passed it—then came back, took it off the wall, and trotted back to his chambers. A while later, clad in black and the mask in place, he took to the rooftops.

Free.

o o o

The next morning Mai met him for breakfast as usual. She saw his calm, relaxed smile… and she tilted her head. "All right. What did you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Yesterday afternoon you were as tense as a longtailed rabbit finch in a room full of coyote cats, and now you're calm and relaxed. What happened?"

"Honestly, Mai, I don't know what you mean."

"You did something."

Zuko shrugged and smiled. "I don't know how to answer you."

o o o

Nothing happened for the next few days. Zuko tended to his business as usual, attended his usual meetings, and everything was as it was before… then Zuko got the itch again. That night, the mask was off the wall, and he was out the window and back on the rooftops.

Mai noticed his absence.

She intercepted a servant near Zuko's chambers. The servant bowed. "How may I serve you, Lady Mai?"

"I'm looking for Fire Lord Zuko."

"I'm sorry, my lady. He has already retired for the evening."

"Did he say why?"

"No, Lady."

She nodded. The servant bowed again and went on his way. She went over to a water clock in a niche in the hall; it was still early. _That's odd_…

She stood there a moment—then smiled. _Maybe he wants me to seek him out. I can do that._

She went to his chambers, and the doors were closed. She knocked softly, with a soft smile.

Nothing.

She knocked a little louder. Nothing.

She knocked, now a little angry. Nothing. She tried the door and found it was locked.

She stopped.

She turned her back on the door and walked stiffly away. Halfway down the hall, her mind worked through other possibilities, and her expression and body language softened. She passed the masks.

Then she noticed that one was missing.

Anger flooded her features again… and suspicion.

o o o

Zuko denied it again the next morning. Mai was quiet and smoldering through the rest of the meal.

Things were again the same for a few days more… then Zuko felt the need for a night out again.

Again Mai noticed he was missing—as was the mask. She went to his chambers and knocked. And knocked. And knocked. No answer.

This time, she had brought her key.

She opened the door. All was still, nothing was out of place… except for one window that had been left ajar.

She left the room.

o o o

Zuko was enjoying the quiet and the night breeze. It was a fine night. The skies were clear, the stars were out, and things just seemed to make a quiet sense.

He heard a whisper of sound, close. Leather on roof tiles.

He looked, and someone was on the neighboring roof, clad in black. Quietly he moved out of sight over the edge of the roof—then peeked up.

They were gone.

Zuko stayed put, looking around, then a head and shoulders peered over the edge—of _his_ building. He ducked down out of sight.

He tucked himself into the shadows under the eaves and waited. His heart rate slowed. The spot wasn't comfortable—he had a beam sticking into his back—but there he stayed.

One minute…

That beam was really uncomfortable. He'd have a mark on his back the next morning for sure. That wouldn't be easy to explain to Mai.

Two minutes…

His legs didn't like where they were wedged, either. As the seconds turned into minutes, his legs voiced their complaints—in ever increasing detail.

Three minutes…

His face started to look like his mask from the pain in his back and legs.

He knew he was nearing his limit—and he decided. He felt he should remove himself quietly while there was still time, rather than make a lot of noise extricating himself—or worse, fall. He got good handholds, freed his feet from their lodging points, and pulled his legs out, wincing at every sound. Once free, he rested a moment, then climbed over the edge.

To look right into a dark red mask.

He jerked backward—and fell. The red mask snatched at him. He flailed with his arms and barely caught some of the metal gutters—which broke away from the roof and bent toward the ground, making a horrible creaking screech. It did slow his descent, at least. When he was close enough to the ground, he jumped free, only to see the red mask scale down the wall with incredible skill.

He ran.

He didn't see any weapons on his pursuer, but he didn't know who they were, he didn't know why they were there, and he did know someone had killed his father, here in the Capital. And that he hadn't told anyone where he was.

His pursuer looked smaller than he was, he _thought_, but that meant nothing. It was better to avoid and evade.

Part of him rolled his eyes at that. _Aang could have taught me something there_.

He ran around a corner and saw a pole hanging low across the street. He leaped, grabbed hold, used his momentum to spin himself on top of the pole, and scaled the wall to the roof. Then he hunkered down.

The red mask spun around the corner. It looked around, looked up, saw the pole, and leaped for it.

Zuko clenched his teeth. _Too obvious_.

He ran across the rooftop, leaped to the neighboring house, then hid behind a chimney belching smoke, shadow in shadow. He ran in place, then slowed gradually, reducing the sounds he made.

The red mask ran right past.

Zuko ran back the other way, leaped back to the other roof, and went back down to the street.

Somehow the red mask saw that, doubled back, and pursued.

Their chase wound all over a good part of the Capital, up one building, down another, through a shocked matron's boudoir, past several street vendors (one of whom made a protective grab for his cabbages). Part of Zuko was having fun—but the rest of him knew very well that his pursuer might not be playing.

Eventually Zuko made a mistake and got trapped on a rooftop with no easy way down. That left only one option.

He whipped his paired swords out from behind his back and brandished them, whipping them around in an overarm wheel.

The red mask stopped. And sighed. "You even brought those along. What are you doing?"

Zuko's swords drooped. "Mai?"

The figure took its mask off, revealing a rather disgruntled Mai. "Yes, it's me. What are you doing up here?"

Zuko took off his own mask. "I felt confined… watched. I wanted to get some air."

"Ordinary people go on vacations when they need a break. You go up on the roof."

"Mai, I don't think I _can_ go on vacation. Not the way things are." He exhaled. "Look, can we talk about this later?"

Mai sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, do what you want to up here. _Maybe_ I'll talk to you when you come inside."

She turned and left. Zuko stood there holding his swords and his mask, feeling like he hadn't explained himself. He also felt very foolish.


	26. Chapter 26: The Other List

Thanks, Dreamer6482! I loved writing the different, uh, facets of Azula. XD Hope you like the rest!

And yup, Theadora, Mike and Bryan did come out with a Book 4… of sorts. XD I forget what convention it was shown at, but it was soon after the Finale in 2008. They took some of the fanart that people had made and made the mouths move. Sorry, I don't know how to put a link in here, but you can catch it on YouTube someplace. And the thing that fanart-Toph said to fanart-Sokka was, "Kiss me, you Water Tribe stallion." XD

Some friends of mine have suggested that I write a full fic of just the Blue Spirit and the Red Spirit up on the rooftops, so… I'll keep you posted. XD

And thank you too, LittleHogwartsGirl! And everybody else. :D I appreciate it.

So, meanwhile back with the Gaang…

Chapter 26.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Six:<strong>  
><strong>The Other List<strong>

It turned out that the Kyoshi Warriors were escorting caravans to and from the Fire Nation border, occasionally helping out where needed. They had set up camp in the hills, and it wasn't too long before the Gaang spotted them.

After the Gaang landed, Sokka slid down Appa's side. "Suki!" He ran toward her.

"Sokka!" She ran toward him. They hugged each other when they met. "It's been so long!" she said. They kissed.

Katara and Toph walked up a moment later with sly smiles. Toph shook her head. "Those two are really something."

"Yeah." Katara nodded in Suki and Sokka's direction. "Apart for a few months, and look at 'em."

"They really should get a room."

"Yeah, or _something_."

Sokka broke the kiss. "Oh, knock it off." Toph and Katara laughed.

Suki smiled and tilted her head. "Want to let me in on the joke?"

"Oh, just some payback for something Sokka did," said Katara. "Good to see you, Suki."

"Oh?" Suki looked at Sokka with a raised eyebrow, still smiling. "And what did he do?"

"Hi, Suki!" Aang walked up and gently slipped his hand into Katara's.

"Hello, Aang! How are you doing? What brings you to our part of the world?"

Aang smiled sheepishly. "Actually, we're here to see Ty Lee. Is she around?"

"Yeah, where is she?" Sokka let go of Suki. "It seems like she usually flies in out of no—"

A green figure flipped overhead, and landed nose-to-nose with Sokka. "Hi!"

Sokka jerked back and went into a reflexive defensive posture, one arm bent over his head, the other out front, fingers splayed, and one leg lifted and bent at the knee.

— — —

In the rocks up above the camp, a lone figure was watching. It turned slowly… and beckoned.

— — —

"Hey, Avatar!" Ty Lee said brightly, eyes wide in the white makeup with red eyeshadow. "Long time no see!"

"Yeah." Aang smiled. "It's been a while."

"So what did you want?"

"Well… this is going to sound a little silly, but… the way you move and flip around, I have to ask."

"Oh? What?"

— — —

Overhead, the lone figure was joined by a dozen other shadows, crouching behind the rocks. They looked to the leader… and waited.

— — —

"The way you move is a lot like the way I move," Aang explained. "Very airy, hard to get hold of. It made me wonder if you ever felt like me in other ways, especially now that you use fans."

"We don't use fans so much nowadays, Aang," said Suki. "It's usually swords and shields now."

"Oh. I see."

"I don't understand," said Ty Lee. "What do you mean, feel like you? How?"

Aang looked at her intently. "I wonder if you ever feel anything in the air when you move. Do you ever feel like you're moving the air? Do you see anything happen?"

"Oh, you mean, like… like I'm bending the air?"

"Yeah, exactly!"

"I'm sorry, Avatar… no."

— — —

Up above, some of the shadows were getting restless. The leader gestured sharply. Then again.

"Why?" one whispered. "They're all together!"

"Wait!" the leader whispered back. "We take them when they separate!"

— — —

"Why?" asked Ty Lee.

Aang looked at the ground, downcast.

"I had a vision from a past Avatar, Avatar Yangchen. She said I had to restore the Air Nomads. The way you move, I was hoping you were an Airbender." He looked at his feet. "I haven't found one yet."

"Oh… I'm sorry, Avatar. I wish I were. Part of this is me on my own, but I trained at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls in acrobatics and self-defense." She looked sadly at Aang. "I'm sorry it isn't Airbending."

"That's okay." Aang looked at Suki. "I guess we'd better get going, then."

"I'm sorry, Aang." Suki looked sad, too. "You could spend the night with us."

"I'm all for that idea." Sokka tried not to sound too eager.

"No…" Aang shook his head. "Thank you, but I think we'd better get going. There should be another list of possible Airbenders waiting for me in Ba Sing Se."

"Okay." Suki nodded. "Goodbye, Aang. We'll keep an eye out for you, and let you know if we find anything."

"Thanks."

The two groups said their goodbyes, and the Gaang headed back to Appa. On the way, Katara laid a hand on Aang's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Aang."

He put a hand on top of hers. "Thanks." He gave it a squeeze, then lowered his hand. "Heh. It's not like it's anything new, really…"

"I know." She squeezed his shoulder, then let go.

— — —

A few moments after the Gaang was out of sight…

"All right, _now!_"

The leader threw out an arm. "Wait!" he said in a strangled whisper.

The impatient one punched the rocks in front of him. The punch sent a current of tremor down the hill, and rocks began to fall.

One of the Kyoshi Warriors looked up and pointed. "_Rockslide!_"

The rocks began to bury the camp. The Kyoshi Warriors scattered.

The shadow leader glared furiously at the one who started the rockslide, then angrily gave the signal. On command, they all punched down, sending more rocks sliding down the hill. Then he brought his arm down at the camp. "Attack!"

Five of them vaulted the ridge and skated down the hillside into the camp. A moment later, the rest followed.

"_Ambush!_" Quickly some of the Warriors produced sword and shield, and lunged at the attackers. Bright steel flashed—but the attackers blocked with columns of rock, then hurled the columns back. The Warriors dodged.

The first group of five wedged in toward one Kyoshi Warrior, then broke off and wedged in toward another, then broke off again and wedged in toward Ty Lee, who was unarmed.

But not disarmed. One attacker got too close, and a couple of quick nerve punches made both him and his column of rocks collapse.

The others fanned out. "Here! She's here!"

"They're after Ty Lee!" Suki cried. "Warriors! Defend her!"

"No! I can take care of myself!" Ty Lee darted in and jabbed under an attacker's arm. The attacker fell back.

Another four attackers closed in behind them.

— — —

The Gaang were just about to mount up on Appa when they heard booms and crashes from the forest where they had been. They heard shouts, too, male and female.

Sokka looked back in alarm. "They're being attacked!"

The Gaang ran back to the camp.

— — —

Suki had fought benders before, but facing a dozen Earthbenders at once was something else, especially a group as focused as this. The Kyoshi Warriors had two things going for them: their attackers were mainly focused on Ty Lee, and Ty Lee, true to form, was as hard to catch as an otter goose. Once caught, she was as troublesome as a boarcupine. Her nerve punches and painful kicks attested to that, as attackers reeled away.

The other Warriors, though, were not able to deal with the Earthbenders so well. Some of them went down, hurt. It was only a matter of time. The Kyoshi Warriors were outmatched. Suki could not protect Ty Lee or the group forever.

Only the whirling whistle of Sokka's boomerang announced its presence as it smashed into the side of an attacker's head.

The Gaang barreled into the Earthbenders. Aang led the charge, hurling air and fire. An Earthbender turned to attack him—and got slashed by Katara's scything water whip. Toph blew another one off the hillside with an earth ram. Sokka bludgeoned his way into them with his warclub.

In seconds the balance had changed. The Kyoshi Warriors rallied, and the Earthbenders could not hold. Their leader sensed this, grimaced, and made a decision. He gave a piercing whistle, once, twice.

The attackers backed up and hurled walls of earth in front of them, then they skated down the hillside and away. Some gathered their wounded comrades, balled up earth and stone around themselves, and rolled down the hill.

One attacker wasn't so lucky. He had gotten backed up against the hillside and was surrounded, Kyoshi Warrior blades all around. He looked around frantically—then he hurled his Earthbending down and brought up a column of earth beneath himself. He flew up over their heads and down the hillside, flailing wildly.

Then it was all over.

Suki lowered her sword and shield and smiled. "I'm glad you were nearby."

"Hey." Sokka grinned and brought his arms wide, club and all. "Like we'd do otherwise."

Katara came over. "Who were those people?"

"I don't know." Suki frowned. "But they were after Ty Lee."

"Ty Lee? Why?"

"I don't know that either." Suki's scowl deepened.

"I think I know," said Toph. "Some of it, anyway. Aang, did _you_ feel it?"

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"The _way_ they Earthbent, Twinkletoes. We've felt it before. At Lake Laogai."

Aang's eyes widened. "The Dai Li."

"But why would the Dai Li be after Ty Lee?" Katara asked. "Besides, I thought they were outlawed!" She looked at Aang. "Weren't they?"

Aang nodded. "I thought they were."

"Hey." One of the Kyoshi Warriors brought over a satchel. "One of them dropped this."

Suki took it and ran through it. She took out a piece of paper and looked at it closely. She showed it to the others. "I think we have our answer."

The group looked. It was a list of names, and one of them was Ty Lee's. Her eyes widened, and her hand came to her mouth. "They _were_ after me. But why?"

Then Aang saw the list. "Oh, no. That's the list _I_ have, from the Earth Regent. The list of possible Airbenders. And every name except for Ty Lee's is… crossed off."

He brought out his own list. Katara looked. "The lists match." She looked at the ground. "Even the order on the lists matches."

Aang walked away a short distance. "Someone gave the list to the Dai Li. And we haven't found any people on the list. We started to not find them with the _first_ list we got."

Sokka looked at Aang. "Which means either the Dai Li have captured them, or…"

"Or…" Aang closed his eyes and hung his head. He clenched his teeth.

Tears came to Aang's eyes.

"And it's all because of me. All because I wanted to restore the Air Nomads."

"Aang..." Katara put an arm over his shoulder. "You're doing what you have to do. It's not your fault. Was there anything you could have done?"

"No... no, but I know now. And I have to stop them. I have to stop the Earth Regent from putting together another list. More people will die if she does. Suki." He turned. "Where's the nearest pigeon goose station? I have to tell Ba Sing Se."

"There's a town a few days away to the east—"

"They won't believe you."

All eyes went to Sokka. "What? Why?" Aang asked.

"Aang, think about it. Anybody could pretend to be you and send a message. For something this important, you have to tell them in person."

"Then we go to Ba Sing Se." Aang turned to Suki. "Will you be all right?"

"Don't worry about us. We know about them now. We're going to find them and find out more about what they're doing. Plus, don't forget." She looked at Ty Lee. "We recently learned a few new... tricks." Ty Lee smiled and nodded, a hunting look coming to her face.

"All right. Take care."

"You too. Good luck!"

With that (and with a slightly longer goodbye between Suki and Sokka), they parted. The Gaang boarded Appa and secured their gear. Then Appa took off, roared in farewell to the Kyoshi Warriors, and turned northeast for Ba Sing Se.


	27. Chapter 27: Everything's Connected

You know, I wondered if that last chapter would bring out some Sukka shippers. XD I'm fine with that. I do ship Tokka, but Sukka is canon. And there it is.

And yeah, Theadora, the Azulaang was juuuust a bit much. (sigh) Mike & Bryan: what're ya gonna do? XD

Chapter 27. And thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Seven:<strong>  
><strong>Everything's Connected<strong>

It was a sorrowful journey to Ba Sing Se.

Aang couldn't help but feel regretful. Katara tried to distract him by talking about the scenery or new happenings at the South Pole, but it didn't help. Eventually she just held him close. He held her too. That helped... somewhat.

It weighed heavily on him. Airbender or no, because of his actions people that deserved life were imprisoned—or worse.

Sokka tried to lighten the mood.

"I mean, there's always the other way, am I right?" he said at the campfire one night. "Go to the Earth Regent, round up a bevy of wives, and away you go."

The angry look from Katara, along with the sorrowful one from Aang, told Sokka what they thought of that. He cringed, and piped down. "Sorry."

For a moment, there was just the snapping and popping of the fire.

"No, Sokka... that's all right. You were just trying to help." Aang rested his head on his knees. Katara put an arm around him, concerned.

One night Aang drifted off to sleep... and somehow, he kept on drifting. His spirit parted from his body, and rose. And the next thing he knew...

"Hello, Aang."

He found himself on a log in the Spirit World, looking at a familiar face across from him. "Avatar Roku!"

"It's good to see you again... though I regret the circumstances." He grew sad. "I saw what happened."

"Yeah. A whole lot of people are in prison or worse, because of me." Aang looked down at the stream.

"Don't punish yourself. Katara is right: you're doing what you have to do. You'll remember that when you go back."

"Yeah." Aang kept looking at the stream. "I can't say I'm too confident of that."

"Don't worry, Aang. You _will_ remember."

"Yeah." Aang exhaled. "I sometimes wonder if I'm chasing up the wrong tree, too. I wonder if there _are_ any Airbenders out there."

"Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to that... although that's a very interesting idea you have. It might pay off in the long run. And in the meantime, there _is_ someone here... who might have the answer to your question."

"Who?" Then Aang realized who Roku was talking about.

A whisper of fear went down his back.

"Oh, no. Him again?"

Roku nodded. "It's your choice, Aang. You know what you have to do… and what you have to avoid doing. He has answered your questions before. While you are here, you have an opportunity... to find some answers."

"Okay... I'll go, I guess." Aang got up to go, then turned back. "Let me ask you something. When you were the Avatar, did _you_ ever have to ask him something?"

"Once." He frowned. "I didn't like it."

Aang smiled. "That makes two of us. Thanks."

"Good luck, Aang."

— — —

Katara awakened to a faint glow.

She looked. The fire had died back to embers, and it was still dark overhead. She looked over at Aang; his eyes were closed, but the light of the Avatar State crept out from around his eyelids, and the arrows on his head and the backs of his hands glowed.

She left her bedding and crept over quietly to sit by him. She smiled softly. "My boyfriend, the Avatar…"

Then she noticed there were tear tracks leading down from his eyes.

She came close by his ear, and she whispered to him. "I don't know if you can't hear me right now… but I want you to know it's not your fault." Then she shifted, and she kissed his eyelids, first one… then the other.

He stirred.

When he didn't move again, Katara sat back. She made herself comfortable and settled in, to keep vigil with him through the night.

— — —

All of a sudden, Aang felt at peace.

It was weird. Here he was in the Spirit World, where nothing was normal, and felt… all right. Completely content. Like everything was right with the world.

Then it faded.

"Whoa!" Aang latched onto a nearby tree. He looked at himself and wondered what had happened.

Then it happened again. He felt warm, happy, like nothing could go wrong. Everything was just as weird on the outside, but on the inside, he felt… like singing. That felt even more weird—but happy.

It faded again.

Aang waited for another...whatever it was. When none came, he set out again.

Black fish swam in schools in the air, like they were birds, or like he was underwater. A pink and green-striped ostrich zebra walked by, upside down, an arm's breadth above the ground. A huge white wolf prowled the horizon. Aang shook his head briskly. "I wonder if Sokka saw stuff like this when he drank that cactus juice."

He came within sight of the leafless blasted tree. On the last stretch before reaching the tree, he prepared. He exhaled, and focused. "_Show no emotion. Show no emotion at all._"

He entered the cave.

It was exactly as he remembered it—dark, creepy… with a thousand scuttling, crawling echoes. He looked around, outwardly calm. The scuttling seemed to come from everywhere.

Suddenly, there he was—face to face.

"_**Welcome!**_"

Koh curled around. "Or should I say… welcome back." He peered from the wall. "Not many of my guests come a second time."

Aang bowed slightly. "Thank you for greeting me. I have a question I'd like to ask."

"Ah, such a needy Avatar. Quite unlike the others in the past." Koh crawled up onto the ceiling. "They tended to bumble around, try to find the answers on their own… when I could have told them many things."

He gracefully hung down from above. "What do you want to know?"

Aang kept his face smooth and still. "I need to know if any of my people are still alive."

"Yes… the Air Nomads." Koh lifted himself back onto the ceiling and crawled down the other wall. "That was an interesting project you put together with the Earth Regent. Quite ingenious, really. It took imagination."

He rushed Aang, stopping just in front of his face. "_**None of them are Airbenders!**_"

Aang kept control of himself despite the grotesque mask a finger's breadth from his nose. "Please tell me. I need a way to find them."

Koh crawled back to the wall and articulated up. He switched to a young child's face. "You already know the answer, believe it or not. It's in a place you've been to before. Perhaps it was best for your past lives to find things for themselves… it improved their powers of observation." He smiled and gazed at the ceiling. "It's in the place where you learned _that everything's connected_."

Unbidden images flew through him—seas… mountains… ancient cities… endless forests—until he mindgazed at a massive trunk. The trunk led upward to mighty branches and scores of leaves, joining together at a distance into a mammoth upward-pointing arrow.

Aang's eyes widened. "The Great Tree of the Swamp!"

Koh now rushed in again on a newly-placid Aang. Aang bowed. "I think I have my answer. Thank you for your time."

Koh smiled. He switched to an old man's face and withdrew. "Do come again, Avatar. Do come again."

— — —

Katara felt Aang stir. Nothing seemed out of place. Still, she went over again, and held him. She kissed him lightly on the cheek.

— — —

Running out of the cave, Aang felt a surge of confidence—he _knew_ what he needed to do now. That feeling, though, expanded far beyond normal and became a vision: the beginning of a new race of Airbenders, sprung from the old, with himself as the finder and founder of a new nation… and at his side, quietly sharing the glory, still being all he needed, was Katara.

Again the feeling faded; he felt colder in its wake.

He saw Roku's face in a puddle. "Is something happening to the Spirit World?"

"No, Aang." Roku smiled. "Something is happening to you—with one who loves you."

"Wow. That can reach me here in the Spirit World?"

"Yes. Our love in the outside world is received here by those who have passed on. Too often we learn that too late. People don't realize how powerful love is."

Aang grinned. "Believe me, I do." He sobered. "But I need to get back. Can you tell me where Hei Bai is?"

"I can find him if you need him… but I think you were able to get here on your own. You shouldn't need his help to get back."

"Great. What do I do?"

"Take yourself home, Aang. Your spirit knows the way… and you have a strong beacon waiting for you at the end. Follow it."

Aang looked up… and saw a girl with dark brown hair, a light blue dress, a caramel complexion, and a mischievous smile… and a love he could find in the dark. He smiled. "I know the way." He looked at the puddle. "Goodbye, Roku! See you next time!"

"Farewell, Aang. Until we meet again."

Aang faded to white… and then faded away.

— — —

Aang opened his eyes… and saw Katara, a hand's breadth from his face. He kissed her.

"Mmph!"

And surprised her.

"Aang!"

He smiled sheepishly. "Hi. I'm back."

"Uh—yeah!" She grinned. "Where'd you go?"

"To the Spirit World. I sort of wound up there by accident—but I got a chance to ask Koh a question."

"Yeah? What'd you find out?"

He smiled. "I _know_ how to find the Airbenders."

"That's great!"

"And I also learned…" he took her in his arms, "...that love can reach me, all the way into the Spirit World."

Her eyes were glowing. "That's wonderful, Aang."

He smiled. "Yeah. It sure is."

He kissed her again for good measure.


	28. Chapter 28: J'Accuse

Thanks, LittleHogwartsGirl. :D You know, I was tempted to title the last chapter "The Facestealer", but I didn't want to give away Koh's entrance—or where I was going with things.

Chapter 28. And thanks again for reading, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Eight:<strong>  
><strong>J'Accuse<strong>

The Gaang arrived at Ba Sing Se and asked to see the Earth Regent. They were allowed entrance almost at once.

Their timing was good. The Earth Regent was holding audience in the Throne Room. The Royal Guards were in their usual positions along the walls, top-tasseled helmets and all, and courtiers, nobles, and commoners milled about, waiting their turn to see the Regent. All of them bowed before the coming of the Avatar—though some of the courtiers were a little miffed at Aang jumping place in line.

"Ah, Avatar Aang." The Earth Regent smiled warmly from her moose lion chair and nodded. "It's good to see you. How is your search progressing?"

Aang bowed before the Regent, hands together, as did the rest of the Gaang. They straightened. "That's what I'm here about, your Highness." Aang stepped further forward in the cavernous Throne Room. "I couldn't find most of the people on my list. It wasn't just that they had died or moved away; their houses were there, and they weren't. Their neighbors confirmed they had seen them, just not recently. And then, when I was looking for Ty Lee of the Kyoshi Warriors, I saw her being attacked—by Earthbenders."

"Attacked? By Earthbenders? This is disturbing news."

"Indeed!" said a noble. "The Kyoshi Warriors are known for their gallant service to the Earth Kingdom. What Earthbenders would dare attack them?"

"There's more," said Aang. "We helped the Kyoshi Warriors beat off the attack. The attackers left something behind, and we found _this_." Aang held up a paper. "This is a copy of the list of possible Airbenders that was given to me. This is a copy of _my list_." That set the crowd to talking.

"It is true that we didn't keep the list under lock and key," said the Regent. "Obviously we should have, in hindsight. We will do so immediately."

"Actually, I'd like to stop the project for now, your Highness," said Aang. "I have something I'd like to try on my own—and I don't want more people to be put in danger because of me."

"Yeah," said Sokka. "No offense, your Highness, but if the people who did this could find one list, they might find any others you make, too."

"That is possible," said the Regent. "Though I shudder to think it. Who could have done such a thing?" She raised her head. "We must find out who it is. I shall bend all my power to it at once."

"That's okay, your Highness," said Toph. "We already know." She made one of her sudden no-look points. "That one."

Everyone in the hall followed her point—right to Long Feng, who was close to the Throne's stairs. He was startled, but then he laughed. "Me? Preposterous."

"Really?" Toph came closer. "I felt someone shuffling around in this part of the room, always moving around, like they're nervous." She turned to face him. "And now that I'm closer, I feel your heartbeat. Your heart's running like a rabberoo."

Long Feng frowned. "I have a presentation that I have to give to the Earth Regent this afternoon, and I'm not looking forward to it. Especially now that you've drawn everyone's attention to me. Thank you very much."

Toph came even closer. "The Earthbenders that attacked us had a particular style to their bending, a style I've felt only once before—at Lake Laogai, with the Dai Li!"

The Earth Regent was surprised. "You can feel different styles of bending? Amazing."

"Yes, your Highness." Aang nodded. "Earth, Water, and Fire all have different styles of bending within the main form. If you pay attention, you can tell them apart." His anger surged. "And the ones that attacked the Kyoshi Warriors used a style like the Dai Li did!" He pointed at Long Feng. "The group _you_ used to be in charge of!"

"Yes, Avatar, the group I _used_ to be in charge of." Long Feng sneered. "What proof do you have that I have anything to do with the Dai Li now?"

"We have _this_." Aang brandished the list of names. "No one else had any business having the list except me. But _your_ Dai Li had it. And the list came from _here_."

Long Feng sniffed with disdain. "My area of authority concerns the sewers of Ba Sing Se, not your little project. I had no access to your list."

There was a brief silence. The Gaang tried to think of something else to throw at Long Feng, but that was it. Except for the copied list, as true as their proof was, it was subjective, based on guesses and feelings. They had nothing else that would decisively show that he was behind this… and he knew it.

He was going to get away with it.

Murmuring filled the hall, and anger and anxiety crossed their faces. The Earth Regent was indecisive. A small smile appeared on Long Feng's face.

"A-actually, your Highness..." A light green-clad bureaucrat off to the side timidly raised his hand. "Long Feng _was_ looking at reports that didn't belong to him. His minder objected at first, but then he said it was all right—after a month or two."

The eyes of the Regent turned. "Long Feng?"

And the eyes of the room turned with her.

Long Feng's face registered shock—then became a mask of rage. "Fine!" He hurled his Earthbending down and blew a hole in the floor. He vanished into the hole.

"After him!" The Regent pointed at the hole. "Find him and bring him to me!" Soldiers ran for the exits. One brave soldier went down the hole—only to wind up stuck in the hole up to his shoulders.

The Regent was downcast. "I must apologize, Avatar Aang. I was the one that gave him trust again. And now yet more of your people may be dead."

"That's okay, your Highness. I think we have to believe in second chances." Aang shook his head. "I wish I'd been more careful too. I should have realized this could happen."

"Yes. Me, too." The Earth Regent raised her head. "We will deal with Long Feng. I wish you good fortune in your continued search… and my deepest apologies for what has happened."

Aang bowed. "Thank you, your Highness."

o o o

Dressed in Sanitarium browns, Azula sat in a corner of her cell, closed her eyes, and stayed that way for hours at a time. She ate, she slept, she took care of her bodily needs, but mostly she just sat. Her minders didn't know what she was doing, but she was quiet—which was a world of progress from what she _had_ been doing. If she were meditating or just sitting there, whatever. That was fine with them.

She was indeed meditating. She was also listening.

She began to sense patterns in the daily life of the Sanitarium, times of high activity and low. She had no measure of time, so she opened her eyes occasionally and noted where the shadows were in her cell.

Then, when she had the pattern down and when she felt she was ready, she moved.

She opened her eyes. The barest hint of moonlight entered her cell. She stood and stretched luxuriously, working out the kinks. Then she closed her eyes, pushed down, and exhaled.

Her eyes snapped open. She brought her hands to midlevel.

One hand scooped down and gathered charge. The other hand went high and did the same on the return stroke. She brought her left and right fingertips together, then pointed—at the narrow windowsill.

Lightning flew into the wall, blowing apart stone. She sighed contentedly, then began again.

Guards came running to her cell. "Azula! Stop!"

She turned. "Did I give you _leave_ to address me so?" She shot blue fire at them, and they ducked behind the corner.

"Sound the alarm! She's trying to escape!"

She turned back to them again after sending another jet of lightning into the wall. "Escape? Nonsense. I'm much better now. I'd love to stay around and chat, but I really must be going!" She gathered more lightning and hurled it at the widening window space.

The guards continued to huddle behind the corner, risking a peek now and then. Blue fire drove them back. She could see what they were doing, thanks to the mirror in the corner. A part of her chuckled at the fact that the place that had been her prison for so long now proved to be an effective fortification for _her_.

Eventually she widened the window enough to where she could get through. She slipped through and threw herself out. The guards entered the cell a few a moment later—and all they could do was watch a silhouetted Azula sail away into the night sky on jets of brilliant blue flame.

They looked at each other.

"Now what?"

— — —

Zuko was having an early breakfast with Mai and Iroh when a courier arrived with an urgent message. Zuko read it—and groaned. "The Earth Kingdom's moved up their Seventh Army."

"Why?" Mai asked.

"They even sent a message. They said if we don't move our southern troops back soon, then they'll do it for us."

Iroh stood. "Let me talk to them. Perhaps I can convince them to give us more time."

"Go, Uncle. Whatever you have to do. Send me word of what you find."

"Of course." Iroh bowed and left.

Zuko sighed. "Like this day could start out any worse."

"Fire Lord Zuko! Fire Lord Zuko! My lord!" Another courier came, knelt, bowed, and straightened. "Princess Azula has escaped from the Sanitarium!"

Mai looked at Zuko. "You were saying?"


	29. Chapter 29: The Great Tree

Thanks, LittleHogwartsGirl. :D I kinda wish I'd spent more time writing about Long Feng; he has an interesting mind. Not that I condone what he did, but… you know. XD

Chapter 29. And thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty-Nine:<strong>  
><strong>The Great Tree<strong>

"So where are we going to now, exactly?" Sokka asked as the Gaang flew away from Ba Sing Se.

"The Heart of the Swamp," Aang replied. "Remember that giant tree that helped me find Appa in the Great Swamp?"

"Sure he remembers." Katara grinned. "Just like he remembers that giant bug he ate."

Toph cracked up. "You-hoo-hoo ate a giant bu-hug?"

Sokka shrugged loftily. "I'm not proud of it, but I did what I had to do to survive. I was hungry, and that's all I'm saying."

"Like you were thirsty, so you drank that cactus juice!" Toph replied, still laughing. "Or you were curious, so you licked the wall of that buggy cave!"

Sokka folded his arms, closed his eyes, and turned his head. "Yes, I did. And I gained knowledge."

"I'm gonna remind you of that 'knowledge', Snoozles."

Katara shook her head smiling, then looked at Aang. "So why the Heart of the Swamp?"

"Well, when I was looking for Appa before, I knew what to look for because I know him so well. And when I took Ozai's Firebending away from him, I got to know what a Firebender's energy feels like. If I think about what my own energy as an Airbender feels like, maybe I can find somebody that feels like me."

"But when you were looking for Appa, he was already _in_ the Great Swamp. Can the Heart of the Swamp help you find something outside it?"

Aang shrugged and grinned sheepishly. "I didn't say it was going to be easy."

"You know, we _did_ see visions of things outside the Swamp when we were there," noted Sokka, his eyes open again. "I saw Yue, you saw Mom," he gestured at Katara, "Aang saw Toph. There _is_ some logic to this. Fuzzy, but there is some."

"Sokka has fuzzy logic, and Aang saw visions of me in this place." Now Toph folded her arms. "Sounds like a real funhouse."

"Oh, wait til you meet the swamp monster." Katara nudged Toph. "He's real fun, too."

"The what?"

o o o

The Great Tree was visible from a long way off.

"This may be just coincidental," said Sokka, "but the Great Tree looks like a giant Airbender arrow."

Katara's eyes widened. "It does."

"And we never did figure out where that tornado came from."

They landed in a clear spot near the base of the Tree. Aang climbed the massive roots of the Tree, closed his eyes, and started walking around slowly.

"Hey, be careful!" Katara called. "You're going to trip!"

"I have to do it this way." Aang kept walking. "I have to use my inner eye to find the best place. The outer eye can fool you." Then his feet found a tree root. "Whoa-oa!" He teetered.

Katara laughed and came to him. "Here. Let _me_ be your outer eyes." She looked toward the Swamp. "But I wonder if we should be asking Hue about this. It's _his_ Tree."

"Hue…" said Toph. "Is that—?"

"The wise old man of the Swamp," Sokka answered. "He bends the water in the vines and makes them move." He gave Toph a wry look. "You might say he's a real swinger."

A huge vine-draped figure loomed out of the Swamp.

"Swinger." Toph snorted. "Nice, Sok—wait."

She froze. Then she stomped her foot down and thrust up a column of rock behind her, right under the viney mound. The mound wavered on top of its new stone pedestal, well up out of the swamp.

Toph thumbed nonchalantly over her shoulder. "Is _that_ your swamp monster?"

Sokka was in shock. "Toph! _That's Hue!_"

"Yeah, yeah, I had a feeling it was. But _nobody_ gets the drop on _me_."

Whereupon the mound dropped off the column of rock and rushed Toph in a viney _whoosh_. It caught her in an arm of vines and raised her up.

"_Hey!_ Put me down, you, you… overgrown hedge!"

"_Wait! Stop!_" Sokka ran to the viney mound, waving his arms. "_We're friends!_"

The creature stopped—then put Toph down. Vines fell away—Toph kicked away the ones nearest her—and a gray-haired man clad in a leafy loincloth stepped clear. "Sorry about that—but I sure wasn't thinking that you were friends when that column of rock came at me."

"Hey, Hue!" Aang came down from the tree roots with Katara. "Long time no see!"

Hue nodded and smiled. "It's good to see you again, Avatar. I wondered when you'd be back."

"I thought I'd try using the Heart of the Swamp to find more of my people." Aang tilted his head. "Any suggestions?"

"No, you're goin' about it the right way. You need to find the spot where you feel the most connected to the world. Other than that, ya have to find things for yourself."

Hue turned to the others. "You might want ta get comfortable. Everything is connected, but sometimes it takes a long time ta find."

"Okay." Aang smiled. "Thanks, Hue."

"No problem, Avatar. Good luck."

o o o

Aang found the place he was looking for, Katara guiding his steps. He sat down and settled in, folded his legs into the lotus position, and looked at Katara. "Wish me luck."

She smiled. "I don't have to. You'll find them." She leaned down and kissed him.

He closed his eyes and reached out to the root of the tree. The arrow on the back of his hand lit up.

At first he checked his immediate surroundings, gauging how the others felt to him: Katara, the Waterbender; Toph, the Earthbender; Sokka, the meat-and-sarcasm guy. He reached out to where Hue was, and compared how he felt with how Katara had felt to him, noting the differences. He felt out to the Foggy Swamp Tribe.

And then he leapt outward.

Katara felt his presence moving around as he felt hers, and knew when he had left. She kissed the top of his head. "Be sure you come back," she whispered. Then she went back to the others.

"How long do you think he'll take?" Toph asked.

"It didn't take him very long to find Appa," Katara said. "But then, he knows Appa… and Appa was closer. For this…" She shrugged.

"Days… weeks… months…" Sokka shrugged too. "Who knows?"

"Yeah. Let me know when he's moving again." Toph sat, and threw up an Earth tent.

o o o

A couple days went by.

Sokka supplemented their diet with fishing and hunting, catching a few exotic things. More than once, things tried to catch _him_. Once a crocodile cat chased Sokka through the camp. Toph laughed. Katara water-lassoed the crocodile cat and convinced it to go elsewhere.

It rained. Toph was fine in her Earth tent. Katara just bent the rain off of her, sometimes onto Sokka, who busied himself with building elaborate lean-tos—and yelling at Katara when she stole some of his materials to make a lean-to for Aang.

And then…

"I found one!" Aang bounded up—and went through the roof of his lean-to. "Hey—where'd this come from?"

"I made it to keep the rain off you." Katara beamed.

"Out of _my_ lean-to," Sokka noted for the record.

Aang smiled. "Thanks, Katara. _And_ Sokka," he added quickly.

Toph shoved down her Earth tent. "So where do we go, O great root-surfer?"

"He's in a mountain village northeast of here, far away from any of the main roads." Aang shook his head and smiled. "I never would have thought of looking there."

Sokka folded his arms. "I thought that was the idea."

"Sure enough. Come on, guys, let's get going!"

They packed their things quickly and headed out, waving to Hue as they flew to the northeast.

o o o

The people Wa Si talked to did indeed spin a web strong enough to walk on. Individually they yielded pieces of a puzzle that together pointed to his next place to search: an army division's headquarters in the east.

This time Wa Si went in far simpler garb, humbler reds and browns rather than the intimidating black of an Inquisitor. The chief adjutant reacted as expected. "Who are _you_ to ask such questions?" he sneered. "And of these loyal soldiers of the Fire Nation! Begone, or I shall have you _thrown_ out!"

Wa Si smiled. "It's true. Such questions are unusual, and ordinary people... have no right to ask them. But as you see, these are not ordinary times." He drew out a scroll trimmed with red, gold, and black, and handed it to the man. "You may answer my questions now..." He waited until the man read his identification scroll. The man paled. "...Or you can say no—and have to answer them anyway."

"I can't tell you. He wasn't here!" the adjutant said in a rush.

Wa Si laid a hand on his arm. "I believe you. But I need proof. I need access to your records."

The man was shaken but relieved. "This way." He led Wa Si to the division's records.

The records confirmed what Wa Si had suspected. A few higher-ranking officers had been detached from the division for "special duty", then had rejoined the division at various dates—all after the assassination. One of the officers was lodged nearby. Wa Si noted the locations of the others and set off after the first.


	30. Chapter 30: Explanations

My gosh, LittleHogwartsGirl…

(doffs hat) (bows) Thank you very much!

Hope these next pieces fit into that picture, too.

Chapter 30... and an old friend I'm sure you all have been wondering about. XD Thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty:<strong>  
><strong>Explanations<strong>

Iroh's mission to meet with the Earth Kingdom generals was expedited thanks to several fast airships. Landing in the Fire Nation Colonies, he made the last leg of the trip on the ground with a squadron of fast ostrich horses. His troops flew the red and black Fire Nation banner and a flag of truce.

He reached the headquarters camp of the commander of the Earth Kingdom's Seventh Army, General Miang. And there he met with a surprise.

"Hold up our advance, General Iroh?" asked Miang. "I'd be happy to, believe it or not. We've been receiving conflicting orders from Ba Sing Se. One order said to halt, another said to advance—and we received that one just a week later. Given how touchy things are... we could do with some sorting out."

Iroh looked puzzled. "The Fire Lord received a message saying that if we didn't move our forces, then you would—for us.

Miang looked at him. "General Iroh… I didn't send that message."

Iroh raised an eyebrow.

He regained his composure. "I see. So you are not interested in forcing us back, then—in accordance with the treaty."

"Well, it depends on who you talk to about that, too. We're all in favor of the treaty. Some of us want to make you adhere to it more... closely, than others."

Iroh considered. "I'm surprised at your candor, General. Potentially I am an enemy, and I shouldn't know this."

"Yes, but you're also one of the ones that gave us back Ba Sing Se. If you were just for the Fire Nation, you wouldn't have done that."

"That does not explain why you would give an advantage to the Fire Nation."

"General Iroh, I'm for the Earth Kingdom, yes. But I am also a warrior that is tired of war. We don't need another one." Miang gestured toward Iroh. "I could push you hard, demand that you withdraw on time, on schedule... but I also know what our spies are saying about the state of things in your colonies. I know things are tense. I know people are angry. And if I wanted another war, I know just what I could do to start one."

Miang looked up. "If the Fire Nation had sent some slick fast-talking diplomat, I'd think that you were bargaining for time for some other reason, probably a bad one. Instead, you came." He smiled. "Uncle to the Fire Lord. A liberator of Ba Sing Se. I know you mean what you say."

"I don't know, General Miang." Iroh smiled himself. "For all that you know, I could take advantage of that and _become_ a fast-talker."

Miang smiled again and shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Very well, General. It is greatly appreciated." Iroh bowed. Miang and his officers returned it. "I will inform the Fire Lord of our conversation. We will withdraw as soon as we can."

Miang nodded. "You are welcome, General Iroh."

Iroh turned to go... then stopped. "Oh... by the way... I did have something I wanted to suggest. For the long-term, when this particular crisis is over."

"Oh? What's that?"

"As you may know, my airship landed in the Fire Nation Colonies before I continued my journey here. I passed through some places in the Colonies where Earth Kingdom citizens, merchants and others, were living side by side with Fire Nation people. I have seen this before in other areas, where people from the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation have lived together peacefully." Iroh chuckled. "Or at least they weren't raising a disturbance while I was there."

Miang tilted his head. "What are you suggesting, General Iroh?"

"A plan as simple as it is difficult—and yet we tell our children to do it all the time. One of the main problems is that your people claim this land as theirs—but for our people who have been living here, it's their land, too!"

There was a twinkle in Iroh's eye. "I suggest that our two peoples _share_ the land."

o o o

Mai was in her suite of rooms at the palace, reading a book, when she sensed something. She looked up—and there was Azula, dressed in red, by the door on the other side. She stood quickly and brought her arm back to flick something sharp.

"Relax." Azula raised her hands. "I come in peace."

Mai didn't take her eyes off Azula. "Your 'peace' usually results in pieces, Azula."

"True enough… when I want it that way. But I usually take good care of my things. _And_ my friends."

"Is that why you're here? To take care of me?" Mai's eyes narrowed. "Why shouldn't I call the guards?"

"If I had wanted you dead, I wouldn't have bothered talking." Azula brought a hand to her chin and tapped her lip with a finger. "Though I will admit, I did want you dead for a while. But go ahead." She lowered her hand and glowered—with a little smile. "Call the guards."

"Why are you here, Azula?"

"I want to know why you love Zuko."

Mai shook her head, keeping her eyes on Azula. "You really are mad, aren't you?"

"Miffed, yes. But not mad… not any more." Azula gestured to a chair. "May I sit?"

"Feel free."

Azula sat in an ornate chair, still on the other side of the room from Mai, and crossed her legs—then she changed her mind, uncrossed them, and stretched luxuriously. She then returned to her former, proper position.

Mai remained standing, eyes locked on the former inmate. "Explain to me why I should explain to you why I love Zuko."

"In part, curiosity—but also because my not knowing why cost me, clearly. It cost me a chance of catching that traitor, and his friends, and it clearly cost me your friendship and your loyalty. But not in that order."

"Has it ever occurred to you that that might be why? That the two are related?"

"Yes, it did. _You_ were a friend of mine. _He_ had been declared a traitor. And you chose _him_ over _me and the Fire Nation_. Why?"

Mai exhaled, exasperated. "That's not what I meant."

"Well, that _is_ what _I_ meant!" Azula came to her feet. "You chose him over me. You said you loved him more than you feared me. Why?"

Mai looked her in the eye. "Did you ever think about how you treated him, how you treated me, before he was declared a traitor? I was your friend. You turned me into a soldier."

She glared at Azula angrily. "When we were in Ba Sing Se, and after—no, even before that, when we were growing up—you thought that Zuko liking me and me liking him was cute, something you could make fun of. Something you could make use of. You used me to haul him back to the Fire Nation."

Azula shrugged. "What can I say? It was convenient."

"Exactly, Azula. Convenient. Convenient for you. Never mind how we felt." Mai stepped closer. "I don't know if I can explain to you how I felt, how he felt. When you find someone you like, and they like you back. When you find out you can talk with them like no one else, about anything. When they share things with you that they can't with anyone else, and you with them. When you _need them_… and they need you. When you're not afraid of letting your guard down with them, and them with you."

Azula smirked. "You're sounding like a romance scroll, Mai. I'd never have expected _that_ of you, either."

"And you would know this… how?" Mai crossed her arms. "You wanted to know why I love Zuko. That's partly why. He cares about what I have to say. He treats me as a friend, and more. Whereas _you_—"

"I already know what you think of me, thank you. You've made that quite clear."

"Do you?" Mai's voice dripped with disdain. "I don't think you do."

_I don't think you do,_ echoed Armor-Azula.

Azula gritted her teeth and clamped down on the mental intruder, hard. Then she intentionally lightened her mood. "Oh, very well… tell me if you must." She turned around and went back to her chair, sat gracefully, and crossed her legs again.

"You use the people around you, Azula. You don't have friends so much as tools. You direct them toward _your_ goals, not caring what happens to them."

Azula sighed. "Guilty as charged, I suppose. But let me tell you this, Mai. When I asked you to come with me to hunt down my brother and my uncle, I wasn't looking for a friend. I was looking for a tool, a weapon to help me do the job."

"And you found one—didn't you?" Mai still stood there. "But let me ask you _this:_ when Ty Lee attacked you and blocked your nerves, why did she do that?"

Azula leaped out of her chair. "It's because she's a traitor—just like you!"

Mai stepped into it. "It's because she didn't want her friends hurting each other!"

"Fine! Then why didn't she attack you first?"

"I don't know! Maybe because she thought that I wouldn't hurt you if you were stopped, but she didn't know if you'd do the same!" Mai dropped her hands down. "And that's why I did what I did, Azula. If I thought you were just going to capture Zuko, I might have helped. But I didn't think you would just capture him. You were going to kill him. And I wasn't going to let you take him out of my life—even if it was going to cost me _my_ life."

They stood there a moment in silence, glaring.

Azula lightened her mood again. "You've given me a lot to think about, Mai. Melodramatically, perhaps, but still, thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"Dry as always, Mai. And who would have thought that you could be so emotional?" Azula headed for the door. "You will see more of me, when the time comes. So I won't say goodbye." She left.

Mai turned and hurried to Zuko's chambers. On the way, she couldn't help thinking about what had happened. _That_ I _could be so emotional, Azula?_

She smiled.


	31. Chapter 31: Second Genesis

My gosh, LittleHogwartsGirl… thank you. That was exactly what I was hoping for. Thank you! (By the way, may I call you Katie, please?)

And gosh, so many responses! Thanks, Kimjuni2, SoulOfsunlight, DayDreamer6482!

Thanks again everyone for reading. Chapter 31… and this one's a big one.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-One:<strong>  
><strong>Second Genesis<strong>

The Gaang arrived at the mountain village northeast of the Great Swamp… theoretically, at least.

"So how do you know this is the right place?" Sokka asked as Appa flew in.

"I don't, exactly," said Aang. "I just have a feeling this is the place. Besides, we didn't see any other villages around here."

"Right. And the guy you're looking for?"

Aang shrugged. "I have a rough idea of what he looks like."

"So... you're looking for a guy that you don't exactly know what he looks like, in a village that you don't know exactly where it is." Sokka squinted and looked at him with one eye. "You sure you aren't going to embarrass yourself?"

Aang smiled. "That's okay, Sokka. I'm around _you_ all the time."

"Well, then, so long as you—hey!" Sokka got ready to reply to that—gustily—then after a pause, he wheeled on Toph. "You've been teaching him comebacks—haven't you?"

"Nope." Toph leaned back and smiled happily. "I wish I could take credit for that one."

o o o

The Gaang entered the village, and Aang presented himself to the elders present. "Hello. I'm Avatar Aang, and I'm looking for someone."

"Welcome, Avatar," one of the men said. "Yes, we saw you land. Who are you looking for?"

"I'm looking for a boy about ten years old. He's a little shorter than me, and has brown hair."

The elders chuckled. "We all have brown hair here, Avatar. But there are three boys that come to mind. I'll go and fetch them." The elder went to go get them, then turned back. "Eh, what did you want them for?"

"We'll have to see. I need to ask them some questions."

A while later the three boys were brought to Aang.

"Hmm..." Sokka cupped his chin with his hand. "They all look pretty much alike."

"I don't know—I do see some differences," Katara said.

"They all look the same to me!"

Katara and Sokka turned in unison and looked at Toph. And smiled. "T_oph._" Toph grinned.

Aang couldn't tell them apart either. None of them really matched the boy in his vision. Then he stopped; there was a way to tell.

He went to one knee and touched the earth, looking for the one like him... and found him.

He rose, and approached the one in the center. The boy had gray eyes. "Hello. I'm Aang. What's your name?"

"I'm Miyong—er, Mister Avatar, sir!"

Aang chuckled. "Just Aang is fine. Miyong—have you ever felt like you could move the air because of something you did? I mean, more than normal—like you made a breeze or something?"

"Only when he eats carrot beans!" said one of the boys, and the boys laughed.

Katara sighed. "What is it with boys and wind jokes?"

Sokka grinned. "You're the Airbender's girlfriend, you tell me."

Aang laughed too. "Come on, Miyong. I'm serious."

"Well... not exactly, but—sometimes I get a funny feeling like... kinda like magic, where I _could_ do something, if I really wanted... I guess."

Aang remained calm. "Could you show me?"

Myong looked around, a little embarrassed. "Right here?"

"We could go somewhere else if you want."

"Well... no... that's okay. I might as well do it here."

"That's okay. Take your time, and concentrate." Aang motioned for everyone to give him some room.

Miyong breathed in…. breathed out… closed his eyes… then spun and thrust his hands out away from him.

Nothing happened.

Aang smiled. "That's okay, Miyong. Just relax. Take your time."

"Okay…" Miyong was a little red in the face. He tried again. He inhaled… exhaled… closed his eyes… inhaled… and thrust out.

Again… nothing.

Aang breathed out, sad.

"Are you sure we're in the right place, Aang?" Sokka asked in a half-whisper. "Maybe we got the wrong address."

"Shhhhhhh!" Katara glared.

Miyong screwed himself up, feeling foolish, feeling inside for whatever that feeling was. He breathed in… out… in… out… in… out… eyes closed… in… and _thrust_—

And nothing happened.

His arms dropped.

"Well, that's okay, Miyong." The elder patted him on the back. "Better luck next time."

"We're sorry to have bothered you," said Katara sadly. "Thanks for your time."

The elder waved his hand. "That's okay. Come on, boys. Let's get back to work."

Katara and Sokka turned Aang back the way they came. "I'm sorry, Aang," said Katara. "I know you really hoped…"

"But that's just it, Katara," Aang said. "I'm not just hoping. I know. I _know_. I _felt_ it. He _can_ do it."

"It didn't look that way," said Sokka. "He wasn't doing anything."

"Come on, Sokka, you were there when I was learning Earthbending and tried to Earthbend you out of that hole. You know I _can_ do it now. I just… couldn't then."

"Yeah, but you're the Avatar." Sokka shrugged. "We knew you could. It was just a matter of you figuring out how."

"Yeah, I know, but I just felt—I just felt—" Then Aang came to a stop. "Wait. There's one more way." He looked at them. "You remember how I took Ozai's bending away?"

"Yeah?"

"To do that, I had to be able to sense that it was there, and then take it out." He looked intently at Sokka. "What if there's a way to bring it to the surface in Miyong?"

Sokka thought it out. "That does make sense, but… isn't it risky? Couldn't _you_ lose something, like you could have with Ozai?"

"Yes—but no one else is going to die because of me." Aang walked determinedly back to the villagers.

Sokka stood there for a moment with his mouth open… then he turned to Katara and pointed at Aang. "That boyfriend of yours has got a stubborn streak, you know that?"

Katara folded her arms and smirked. "Said the donkey emu to the ostrich horse." They walked back to the villagers.

Aang approached the elders and Miyong, who had been hanging back from the others, feeling foolish. "I'd like to try one more thing. Miyong, I want to look inside you, to see if you're an Airbender like me. If you are, I want to bring your Airbending talent to the surface, so you can use it. It's going to feel weird—it's going to feel weird for me, too—but I promise I won't do anything else."

The elder looked alarmed. "What you're talking about… sounds like messing around with the boy's innards, or worse. If you're going to do that, I'd better get the boy's parents."

Aang nodded. "I understand."

Miyong's parents came soon after. Aang explained who he was, what he was trying to do, and why. The parents looked frightened, but they allowed Miyong to choose. "It's his choice anyway, really," said the father. "And for something this important, well… it's his choice."

Miyong looked at his parents—and then at Aang.

"Go ahead, Mr. Avatar, sir. Only—don't make it hurt."

Aang smiled. "I'll try."

— — —

What happened next was talked about in the village, and the world, for a long time to come.

Aang reached out and placed his hand on Miyong's chest, thumb nearest Miyong's center. The other hand he placed on Miyong's forehead, thumb in the center again. He closed his eyes and centered his breathing, concentrating. He tilted his head back. Caught up in the moment, Miyong did so, too.

For a while, nothing happened.

Suddenly Aang's eyes and mouth opened. Ice blue light shot out of them, seeking the heavens. Even in broad daylight, the light was a beacon, making everything else around seem dim. Slowly the light crept out from Aang's eyes to cover his face… then his head… down his chest and arms… until finally Aang was a figure of living light.

The light flowed onto Miyong from Aang's hands, down Miyong's forehead and chest, spreading over his entire body. Both of them shone in the light, showering the village in ice-blue radiance.

Long moments passed, the two frozen together—Aang, his eyes and mouth wide open, beaming into the sky, Miyong, his eyes and mouth closed, silent and still. Nothing moved.

Sokka, even having seen it before, was still in awe of what was taking place. It was like what had happened with Yue; there was no way to explain what was happening. Toph, now being able to "see" what was going on with her feet, was even more awestruck. Her face was filled with wonder as she of all of them could _feel_ what was going on, experience what Aang as the Avatar was doing inside of Miyong. And Katara…

She knew who Aang was… what he was. But then there were moments like this, like when Aang would go into the Avatar State, like when he melded with the Spirit of the Ocean and became a devastating monster… when it was clear there was a part of Aang that was not of this world. A little fear mingled with the awe and wonder.

But he did love her. She knew that too.

Sokka pointed. "Look!"

Miyong's eyes had opened.

They were bathed in blue, but a beautiful orange-yellow light welled up inside. Slowly the blue light receded, and the orange light advanced… almost as if one was pulling the other, coaxing, encouraging.

The orange light spread over Miyong's face, claiming him, taking root and sinking in. It grew, flowing down his chest and arms, down to his legs; in time there were two figures of living light, one ice blue, the other orange-yellow And then, at the end, Miyong too shot his light into the sky, orange light joining Aang's blue.

Together, the two lights faded. Miyong blinked, wobbled a little, and smiled. Aang, a little wobbly himself, returned the smile and let go. "Now try."

Miyong closed his eyes—and opened them at once. "I feel it. I feel it!" He thrust out his hands...and the wind blew.

Silence.

And then everyone was cheering. Aang felt relieved, satisfied, overjoyed… a thousand things. Tears ran down his smiling face.

As they did down Katara's. What this meant for Aang… for himself, for his people… for everyone… and here she was to see it.

Aang looked her way. He didn't stop crying, but he held his arms wide. She ran to him, and they hugged. They didn't kiss; the moment meant too much. They just held onto each other.

For the first time in over a hundred years, there were now _two_ Airbenders in the world.

— — —

When the cheering subsided, Aang let go of Katara and put a hand on Miyong's shoulder. "I'd like you to come with me."

That caught Miyong by surprise. "Huh?"

"The reason I'm here… is you. I'm looking for other Airbenders, to rebuild the Air Nomads. I found you, and you're the only one I've found so far."

Miyong tilted his head. "What do you mean, come with you? You mean I have to leave home?"

Aang nodded. "I know it's a big sacrifice, and I know it'll completely change your life around—but I'd like to train you as an Airbender. As an Air Nomad. Like me."

"_Leave?_ Our son?" Miyong's mother was distraught. "Now just a—"

"Avatar Aang, sir?" said Miyong. "Could my mom and dad come too?"

Aang put a hand behind his head. "Well, I—"

"_Leave?_ _Us?_" Miyong's mother liked that even less. "Now just a—what do you think you're—"

"Couldn't you stay here for a bit while Miyong decides?" Miyong's father interjected. "I mean, it _is_ a pretty big decision."

"Dad, it's fine. I want to go." Miyong shrugged. "I just want you and Mom to come with me, too."

"Well…" Aang scratched his head… then he shrugged and smiled. "I don't mind if you guys don't mind."

Miyong looked to his father. Who looked to his wife. Who looked at both of them. Then she looked at Aang… and slowly smiled.

"Of course," she said. A shrug; her smile turned sheepish. "I mean, your whole race does depend on it… I guess we'll go wherever our son leads us."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** When I was writing the scene when Aang enables Miyong to reach and use his airbending, there were a couple of pieces of music that came to mind-both from _Star Trek_, big surprise. XD One is "The Meld" from _Star Trek: the Motion Picture_ from 1979, when Captain Decker melds with Ilia and V'Ger. The other is "The Katra Ritual" from _Star Trek III: The Search for Spock_, when the Vulcan High Priestess transfers Spock's _katra_ from McCoy to Spock's newly revived body.

Here's the text for those links; sorry I can't provide the links themselves.

www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=p1BwG-g8_4

www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=qgcT5TPpJlY

If you like, please feel free to locate and listen to them while rereading that section. I'd love to know what you think.


	32. Chapter 32: The Names of Shadows

I look forward to what you think of the rest, Theadora! Thanks!

(I enjoyed writing the Koh scene, too. XD)

And oh my gosh, Katie! Thank you very much! And thanks, Kimjuni2!

I wondered if some would find the last chapter controversial since in some ways Aang "made" an Airbender, but given what Aang did to Ozai, I felt that what happened in the chapter was possible within the canon of the show. I'm glad/I hope it worked.

Chapter 32. It's short, but hang on...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Two:<br>****The Names of Shadows**

The search to find Long Feng after his flight from the Throne Room was a failure. Every resource the Earth Regent could spare was thrown into the search, but it all still turned up empty. The Regent sighed. _Given his knowledge of the Earth Kingdom and Ba Sing Se, he could be anywhere._

She _should_ have asked that talented young Earthbender to find him, the one who was the Avatar's companion, right when it happened. Clearly she had stood the best chance of finding him, given her talents. Just as clearly, though, that was hindsight. Nothing could be done about it now. Long Feng was gone.

The Regent retired to her quarters for the night, walking the long corridors alone. _I'll simply have to ask for the Avatar's help when he returns,_ she thought. _I know that adds one more task to his shoulders, but given who Long Feng is, we cannot let him continue to run free. He is just too dangerous._

She reached her quarters in the Palace, and she smiled. Sleep usually cured a lot of her problems, and gave her a clear head to address the rest. _I certainly need it now_. She entered, and closed the door behind her.

Had she waited a moment, she might have noticed the shadows that had gathered in the hall. A moment more, and she might have seen them head for her door.

o o o

Iroh sent word ahead by messenger hawk about his talks with the Earth Kingdom generals. The Fire Lord's council was relieved. Now they had time to deal with their problems. They could avert the renewal of war.

That mood was not shared in all quarters.

"Relief," one of the generals spat in the shadows. "Relief! From not going to war with the Earthers? What is this? What have we come to?"

"And sharing!" another said. "Sharing what we've _already_ taken in war, honorably? That land is ours!"

"Oh, that's not the best of it," said a third. "Let's _share_ our land. Let's _share_ our ideas. Let's _share_ with them how our military works. And then, when they've learned enough, let them roll over us with _their_ numbers and _our own weapons? **Never!**_" There was angry agreement at that.

"Enough," said the lady general coolly. "This is of no consequence. Zuko still has to placate. We can still agitate. We have time and opportunity enough to do that."

"No."

Surprised, the lady turned to the calm one. "No? Why?"

The calm one shook his head. "The time for half measures is over. We have to escalate."

"Escalate?" said one of the others. "What do you mean by that?"

The calm one smiled. "Rebellion."

That caused a stir of voices.

The calm one projected his voice to cut through it. "It is clear that Fire Lord Zuko no longer serves the best interests of the Fire Nation." He looked around the table. "General Raida is right. We cannot afford to give the Earth Kingdom any advantage. They _will_ learn from us, given the chance, given time."

He looked around the table again. "We spread rumors that the Fire Lord wants to give away the Colonies completely. We wait for him to send troops to deal with the resulting uprising. Once the moment is right, we remove the Fire Lord. And replace him."

The stir of voices grew louder.

"_Replace_ him?"

"Replace him with _what?_"

The calm one—Naroz—smiled. "Why… with me."

After a moment, that drew anger from the others—which he met with calm. "Do you have a better suggestion?"

"Why should we trust you? And why should _you_ be Fire Lord?"

"Yes, when all of us are qualified?"

Naroz smiled again. "Indeed, General Raida: you are not. I am related to Fire Lord Sozin, however distant; you are not. Therefore, I _am_ in line to succeed Fire Lord Zuko. And given his behavior, I suggest we accelerate the succession process."

The lady general tilted her head and smiled. "So all your support of Zuko… all your constructive criticism…"

Naroz chuckled. "Illusory. _I_ offered criticism—_he_ thought it was constructive. Or so I suppose. You'll have to ask him."

"So once again, you're feinting an enemy out of position with what isn't there. Brilliant, General." The lady general smiled again. "Brilliant."

One of them stood. "I… will not be a party to this. To plan war against Zuko's wishes is one thing, but to plan his _removal_—"

"Very well, Commander, then I'll denounce you myself." Naroz looked at his fingernails, then back up. "I do have Zuko's confidence, and I'm sure he'll believe me." He paused, then shooed him away. "Go ahead. That just means one less of you to keep track of. Oh, and if it helps, by plotting against the Fire Lord's will, you are already in rebellion. Technically."

One of the others leaned forward. "What guarantee do we have that you won't denounce us _all_, Naroz? When it suits you?"

"That's just the thing: you don't." Naroz leaned back in his chair. "However, I would say there's a lesser chance of that for those who are _loyal_ to me."

The table was silent.

"Nothing further?" Naroz looked around. "Very well. Let us begin with the rumors. Then we can move forward with the rest of the plan."


	33. Chapter 33: Man to Woman

Your posts were no less official in my eyes, Theadoraa. :D Thanks. And oh, do I agree about Azula! XD

And about the survival of the sky bison, Anonymous, I definitely agree with your point. Appa's kin surely would be able to get away somehow… you'd think. There isn't time in this story to get to that, I'm afraid, but I do have an idea about that. I hope to follow up.

And thanks, Katie. XDD You're not the only one who wanted to "stick" it to Naroz! XD

Chapter 33. (And we'll return to Naroz's coup after these messages.)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Three:<strong>  
><strong>Man to Woman<strong>

The Gaang stayed the night in the mountain village where they had found Miyong. That evening, Aang took a lantern and some paper and ink, and he went up the mountainside a ways from the village.

For a while he just enjoyed the view. He watched the moon rise, and he watched the stars come out, one by one, cluster by cluster. People lit lamps and candles in the village, and soon their windows of their homes were aglow with warm, yellow light. In some ways, the clusters of lights in the homes echoed the clusters of lights in the sky.

The quiet was serene, and Aang drank it in like calming tea. He smiled. _It's a lot easier to be at peace when you have peace to begin with._

His mind and body at peace, he began to write.

Katara came up from the village. "Hey, Aang."

He looked up and smiled. "Hey, Katara."

She sat down. "Writing to Zuko again?"

"Yup. I thought I'd send it as soon as we reach a place with a pigeon goose post."

"Writing about Miyong? How you feel, everything that happened?"

"Yup."

Katara tilted her head. "So how _do_ you feel?"

Aang laughed. "How do you think I feel? I feel happy… glad I found somebody… glad that this thing _worked…_"

"You knew you were going to find somebody. Didn't you?"

"I wasn't so sure, Katara. Especially after all the dead ends we ran into the first time. It was different when we reached the Great Tree, though."

Katara nodded. "I got that feeling from you." She leaned back. "It's funny, isn't it?"

Aang frowned. "What is?"

"All that careful looking through records, writing down every clue about who might be an Airbender, something that was rock-solid as far as we knew—"

Aang chuckled. "Rock solid. To find an Airbender."

"Hey." She gave him a playful shove. "But everything we could do, everything humanly possible… and it turns out you had the clues all along, as the Avatar. You knew _somebody_ was _someplace_, and poof!" She held her hands out to the side. "You found them."

"Well, it wasn't all _that_ easy, Katara. I mean, I had to face Koh to get the answer."

"I'm not saying that it was easy. I'm just saying—" She shrugged. "Oh, you know."

"Uh… yeah." Aang smiled.

After an awkward moment he went back to his writing. Katara sat and gazed at the stars.

Breezes made their way through the grass. Crickets chirped.

"You know," Aang said, finishing a line and looking up, "I _was_ starting to wonder if I'd have to find Airbenders the other way."

"Oh?" Katara looked over. "What way is that?"

"Um… Sokka's way, sort of."

"Sokka's way. What do you mean by—hey." Katara's eyes narrowed. "A _bevy_ of women, is that what he said?"

Aang brought his hands up "Hey, I didn't mean it like that!"

Katara frowned. "Then what _do_ you mean?"

"I mean—making Airbenders, with _one_ woman."

"Oh, _one_ woman, now." Katara folded her arms. "And who would _that_ be?"

Aang felt like he had dug himself a big hole. "Um… you."

Katara stopped herself in mid-yell. "Oh."

Now Aang felt like he had jumped into the hole.

He blushed. "I mean, not for a lot of years yet, of course. I'm not old enough yet."

"Oh?" Katara crossed her legs in front of her on the ground. "Why?"

Aang remembered back months ago when he talked to Hakoda about the exact same thing; that hadn't been easy then. With Katara sitting there, expecting an answer… the wind ruffling her hair, the moonlight and starlight just barely lighting the caramel of her skin… Katara, the girl he'd been talking about with _her father_… it felt very awkward.

But he felt the way he felt, and the facts hadn't changed.

"I feel like I'm still a kid. I'm not old enough, I'm not wise enough, I haven't learned enough yet. When I have a child… I want to be able to raise it—teach it—be a good father."

Katara smiled. "So let me get this straight. You can tell peoples and generals and Fire Lords what to do… but you don't think you're smart enough to raise a child?"

"Actually… no."

Katara kept on smiling. "How come?"

"It's just… different, Katara. I don't know. I mean, I'm being responsible when I'm telling people what to do, but with a child…" He looked at her. "It's mine. Everything I do affects its life. Everything I say. And I want to do the best job I can. I'm not ready yet."

"Aang, you know that's not entirely true…"

"Yeah, I know. But I feel like it is. And with so much going on in the world, now, I feel like I have to do that first. It's better if I wait."

"You know you don't have to raise the child alone, either."

"I know." He took her hand. "I wasn't planning on it."

She gave him a warm smile.

He shook the hand he held slightly. "I want to have them with _you_. And I want to do it when I'm ready—when we're both ready. When we can both be parents."

A wry smile crossed her face. "Did you think about asking me about this?"

He matched her wry smile. "Well, yeah, I had planned on it."

She looked at him the way she had the night of the dance, in the cave in the Fire Nation. "What if I didn't want to wait?"

That sultry look—and that kind of question—weren't things Aang had expected. "Uh…"

They sat there for a moment, Katara looking at Aang in that way, and Aang looking for an answer.

Then Katara let her look melt into a warm smile, and she laughed. "I don't. That is, I'm okay with waiting."

Aang exhaled with relief. "That's good. I was worried."

"I think I do too—feel the same way, that is. But it's good to have time to think about it. Besides—" She grinned wide. "We've only just started our lives together. We can have a little fun." She poked him. "You remember fun, don't you?"

"Yeah." Aang felt sheepish—and happy. "Fun."

At that moment, Sokka walked up the hill—and he was just a little suspicious. "Hey. What're you two doing up here?"

Katara and Aang exchanged a glance. "Nothing," they replied sweetly. And then they exchanged another glance—and a smile.


	34. Chapter 34: Ignition

Thanks everybody! Katie, VividDreamer624, Anonymous, Tha GOAT! XD

And wow, so many questions, VividDreamer! Unfortunately there isn't time in the story to get to Appa and Momo and their possible kin. Miyong is still his parents' son, and he's now also an Air Nomad apprentice. He _is_ the descendant of Airbenders, but it took Aang and his Energybending to bring his Airbending talent to the surface. Will Zuko find Ursa? I hope so. And as to Ozai… I'll let this chapter explain.

As to Azula… stay tuned. XD

So… are you ready? Here we go... Chapter 34.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Four:<strong>  
><strong>Ignition<strong>

Wa Si had finished his investigation.

The trail had led to a cabal of senior officers. One had committed the murder of Ozai, the rest had cleared the way for the murderer. The interrogation of those officers had painted a clear picture of who was doing what and when. Conveniently, the officers had been close to the army division's headquarters Wa Si had investigated, and they were now in custody.

Save one.

Wa Si now headed for the Fire Nation Capital, armed with all he needed to confront and bring down his quarry. Time was of the essence. He took an airship to speed his return.

One of the conspirators, however, had pieced together what was about to happen. In one final act of loyalty, he had sent a messenger hawk to the Capital before he was arrested.

The messenger hawk would reach the Capital first.

It was late afternoon. The sun was going down, and shadows were lengthening in the halls. A courier brought Naroz the message, saluted, and left.

Naroz opened the scroll. His eyes widened, and he paled.

He quickly thought on what he would do, and acted. He went to find supporters.

"General Raida. Gather your troops. We move _now_."

"Now? Why?" Raid was puzzled, and a little vengeful. "I thought you were going to wait for the revolt to take place."

Naroz glared. "There is an arrest warrant with my name on it in the hands of Wa Si the Inquisitor. If he gets here first we're finished!"

"You mean you are finished. Whatever indiscretion you have committed has nothing to do with me or us. You can answer Wa Si on your own, I think."

"The 'indiscretion' is the murder of Ozai." Raida's eyes widened. Naroz bore down on him. "And if I were in the Inquisitors' tender care… what secrets would I spill?"

"I see your point." Raida stood. "We must find the others."

"Yes, find the others. But speed, Raida, speed! And we must find Zuko. Find him—and kill him!"

— — —

Zuko was in his office, examining and signing the last of a pile of reports. He stood and stretched. _I need a break._

He left his office, used the chamber pot and washed, then went into the garden to meditate in one of its nooks.

— — —

"I don't think you understand." Raida levelly regarded Naroz. "Most of my troops are probably still loyal to the Fire Lord. Any attempt on his life would be met with... resistance."

"Fine. Gather your most trusted troops and find Zuko. I'll go and gather mine. _We'll_ do the killing, since you apparently have no stomach for it." Naroz left.

He made his way to the other conspirators that were nearby. One hemmed and hawed, and gave him little; the others complied readily. His last stop was with a detachment from the Seventeenth Division, all of whom rumbled out of their barracks at the word. With the clock ticking in his head, he began to search, always staying near friendly troops—just in case.

— — —

Soldiers burst into Mai's chambers. She stood indignantly. "What are you doing?"

They looked around. "He's not here. Move on." They left just as abruptly. Two guards took up station outside her door—which they didn't close. The rest went down the hall.

After a moment, after Mai had quelled her anger at the intrusion, it came to her just who the "he" was that they were looking for… as well as the implications. She waited until things were quiet, then went out into the hall and faced the guards.

"Soldier, who are you looking for?"

"Uh… a deserter, Lady. We thought he was headed this way."

"And you thought he would head into my chambers to hide."

"Yes, Lady, that's what we thought." The man looked a little relieved.

"Has… the Fire Lord been informed?"

His partner couldn't help chortling. "Don't worry, Lady, he will be."

Her eyes flashed to the other soldier.

They were bigger, stronger, armed, and armored. She was light, fast, and very precise with her weapons.

And very motivated.

A fast jab to the chortler's neck brought him down. A quick flurry of throwing knives pinned the other man in place. A stiletto appeared in Mai's hand, and she held it to the man's nose. He went cross-eyed looking at it.

Her voice too had an edge. "_Tell me who ordered this._"

The soldier swallowed. "G-General… Naroz."

One last Ty Lee-taught nerve punch brought the man down. Then she was off running.

— — —

The sun was setting. Torchbearers went through the Palace, lighting torches and lamps. Naroz and his troops brought their own. Two by two they marched to Zuko's office, Naroz himself in the lead. They found it empty.

"He must have headed to his quarters. Let's go!"

Mai heard them coming and ducked into the shadows. After they passed, she ran for Zuko's office. When she found it empty, she stood and thought, and then ran for the gardens.

Torchbearers had already been here. Little lanterns were lit all through the garden, making for a peaceful, enchanting effect: little bits of light in the darkness, creating interesting shadows. The part of Mai that wasn't running like mad rolled her eyes at the irony.

She found Zuko in one of the nooks, meditating, his eyes closed and his face peaceful. Part of her wanted to stop and enjoy the sight: Zuko, at peace. The rest of her knew there wasn't time.

She shook his shoulder. "Zuko!"

His eyes opened. "Mai!" He smiled.

"Zuko, Naroz is leading a coup. He's hunting for you."

"_**What?**_"

"Zuko, you have to leave the Palace. You have to reach your troops!"

"No." He stood, resolved. "If he wants a fight, let him bring it. I'll face him."

"No! Zuko, listen. You don't know who's loyal to you here and who isn't. You have to get away!"

"So I can go someplace where I don't know who's loyal to me _there?_"

"Zuko, just… listen. Let's find your uncle. He'll be able to help."

"All right. Let's find my uncle. He should be back from the Earth Kingdom by now."

They left the garden.


	35. Chapter 35: Firefight: Rated T

Hey, Katie, I didn't know you liked Maiko! (makes a note of) I think you'll probably like some of what's coming up. Thanks again! And thanks, WWEStarBaby, Cronixslayer, Kimjuni2! I appreciate it.

(By the way, WWEStarBaby, thanks for joining us on KF, too. XD)

Chapter 35. Thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Five:<strong>  
><strong>Firefight<strong>

As Zuko and Mai ran, ideas went through Zuko's head. The underground bunkers were an option—but Naroz would probably know about those, and expect that. His uncle probably arrived by airship—but then there were other airships nearby.

Zuko had not been out enough to know which troops he could trust—but there was the basic ingrained loyalty to the Fire Lord that had been instilled in the Fire Nation's troops for generations. He could, perhaps, appeal to that.

Unless those troops were loyal to Naroz.

They were cutting through the throne room when they heard a voice at the far end of the hall.

"How appropriate."

Naroz walked from the far end of the hall, backed by troops and officers. Light from torches along the walls lit their faces.

Zuko stopped. "And why is _that_, General Naroz?"

"That I should find you here, in the seat of power for the Fire Lord. A good place for one Fire Lord to succeed another, I think."

Zuko let his rage fill him. "Would you mind _explaining that statement?_"

"Oh, I thought my intent was clear enough—but as you wish, I will explain it to you." Naroz put his hands behind his back. "I find you to unfit to rule, given the events of the past few months, and I feel you should be replaced."

"By you."

"Yes." Naroz smiled. "By me."

"And do I have any chance to appeal that decision?"

"No, Zuko. I would say you have no chance at all." He turned. "Lady Mai. This matter does not concern you. You may withdraw."

"I'm sorry, I believe you were insulting my boyfriend." Steel flashed in Mai's hand.

"As you wish." Naroz brought up his hand.

Then Iroh came in through one of the side doors. "Fire Lord Zuko!" he said jovially. "I'm glad I found you! I have the—" He saw Naroz. "What is going on?"

"Ah, General Iroh. Good." Naroz smiled again. "Your arrival is well-timed. You spared me the trouble of finding you."

Iroh saw the troops with Naroz, and he soon realized what he was looking at. He glared and pointed at Naroz. "_By what right do you approach the Fire Lord so armed?_"

"That's interesting… we were just getting to that. And you can raise your voice all you want, Iroh; the guards won't hear you." Naroz smiled at him. "Believe me, they won't. So as I was saying, we were discussing the matter of one Fire Lord succeeding another. That time has now come."

"_Then address the right person_, General _Naroz!_" came a voice from the far end of the hall. "_He_ is not the Fire Lord!"

Azula entered the hall. "_I_ am."

"Well, well…" Naroz turned around. "If it isn't our crazy little cuckoo cat cousin, flown from her nest. Are you sure you're up for this, cousin? Though I do appreciate your desire to help me make things tidy."

Azula strode forward in black and red combat armor. "I assure you, _cousin_, I am indeed perfectly 'up for this', as well as anything else you throw at me—except for your little suggestion from a few years ago. I do take exception to that."

"You!" said one of the officers. "You were at the Sanitarium. I saw you!"

Azula smiled. "I'm much better now. I checked myself out."

She walked her way slowly through Naroz's troops, unconcerned, and raised her voice. "Those of you who leave now will be punished, but your lives will be spared. If you choose to stay… your lives will be forfeit." She reached the front of the hall, and turned about. "Immediately."

Naroz chuckled derisively. "There are over forty of us and only four of you, Azula. You act as if you are in charge here!"

Azula gave a sly smile. "I assume that my brother, my uncle, and my _one-time friend_ are competent enough to take care of half of you. That just leaves me with the other half. Pity." She assumed a lazy combat stance. "Shall we begin?"

"Pity… is one thing you shall _not_ have," Naroz said, and struck.

— — —

Every Firebender of Naroz's fired at once, creating a wall of fire that rushed at Zuko, Mai, and Azula. There was no time to think, no way to block. Zuko stepped in front of Mai and split the fire, deflecting it to the sides. Azula flipped over the top of the fire wave and charged the attackers, punching blue fire as she came. Soon she was in their midst, making a mess of their ranks. Assassins began to fall.

Iroh charged in from the side, further disrupting the frontal assault on Zuko.

"Ignore them!" Naroz yelled. He pointed at Zuko. "Take him down!"

"_**You will NOT!**_" thundered Iroh. He spun, punched, kicked, and jabbed his way to the front with fire, fists, and feet.

Zuko still had his hands full with incoming fire. He deflected what he could, blocked what he could, and fired back when he had the chance. Mai was a red and black shadow. She watched Zuko's movements, lined up targets, and struck. Knives that missed one target often hit others. Together Zuko and Mai combined fire and steel.

Iroh reached the center of Naroz's line and did not budge. He centered himself quickly.

Zuko was aghast. "Uncle, get out of the way!"

"Yes, Uncle, get out of the way!" Azula said. "Let the puppy face his 'destiny'!" She kneed an assassin and then flamed her. The assassin rolled away in agony.

"**_No!_**" Iroh raised his hands to midlevel, then pointed at Naroz. "Face _**me**_ if you dare!"

"Face you? I don't have to!" Naroz scoffed. He pointed. "Deal with the old fool, and then _kill Zuko!_"

Iroh smiled through his battle glare.

Naroz's troops focused on Iroh and hurled everything they had—but Iroh gathered in their fire, all of it, like a Waterbender with water, and spun it around himself to create a massive ring of fire.

The assassins quailed. Even Naroz took a step back.

Iroh broke the ring out into a whip and flailed at those nearest him. He drew the fire back and lashed out with it again, gathering in fire shot at him.

But not all the fire was aimed at Iroh.

Naroz focused, then shot out a bolt. Zuko saw it, raised his hands, then saw the angle was wrong. It wasn't coming his way.

Mai saw it—too late.

She dodged, but the fire clipped her, licking onto her face. She went down.

"_**Mai!**_"

Naroz shot a fast-moving bolt at Zuko. He saw it just in time, and rolled. It missed.

A quick check of Mai. She was down, but still moving. Zuko turned back, and ground his teeth. "This ends _now._"

Now Zuko hurled his fire at Naroz, long-range. Naroz batted it aside, but again Zuko fired, punching and moving toward him. Naroz deflected. Again Zuko hurled at him. Zuko was peripherally aware of shots coming in at him, but he moved only as much as necessary to avoid or deflect them. His mind was on Naroz. He kept firing—and moving forward.

Iroh too was slowly advancing. Step by step by step he forced the assassins back, lashing with his massive red whip of fire, gathering in more fire that came at him, and then slashing into the assassins again. Azula had been hit, and hurt, but still she poured her fury into the fight, still strong enough to where no one would face her at close range. The assassins' will began to tatter.

And Zuko was focused on Naroz.

First one assassin ran. Then another. Then another. The rest started looking around and seeing how thin their ranks were, seeing the indomitable firehammer of Iroh, the dervishlike lethality of Azula, and seeing Zuko, still standing, still firing, despite everything and everyone that had been thrown at him—and now Zuko's fire was turning _blue_.

They broke.

One after another they ran for the rear of the hall. Naroz saw that, gnashed his teeth—and retreated, vanishing into the darkness.

Zuko sent one last angry bolt after him—and was surprised at the blue color. Puzzled, he punched once more just to see… and his fire was back to red again. He wondered why, and how… then he remembered Mai. He ran back and turned her over; she coughed, and looked up at him. "I'm all right. Zuko, I'm_ all right_."

"Your face… it's burned."

She smiled, and winced. She touched his face. "I know burns heal."

"Yeah." He smiled, a tear running down his cheek. "They do."

Iroh limped over, battle glare replaced by weariness; his clothing was smoking from the last series of hits. "We should really get out of here."

Zuko nodded. "That sounds good to me." He helped Mai up.

In the middle of the hall, though, Naroz hid in the shadow of a pillar. He had thought about trying to reach his own troops, but felt that was too risky. Surely word was spreading now about what he had done. He faced a dangerous gauntlet.

And here… there was still one opportunity left.

Naroz stepped from behind the pillar, one hand high, the other low. He brought the hand down and gathered charge. The other hand went up. He brought it down, and gathered more.

Mai coughed. Zuko looked at her, concerned.

Naroz brought his fingertips together, combined the charges, and shot—

The flash of light caught Zuko's eye. He turned his head, saw the lightning leave Naroz's hand, started to rise and bring his hands up to make _some_ kind of defense. The lightning swelled large in the darkened hall—

But then Azula flew by in front of him, a blur of black and red. She took the lightning on her right hand, spun like a drill in mid-air, brought the lightning in… down… up… and out… and shot it back out her left hand.

Right at a wide-eyed Naroz.

The bolt hit him and played over his metal armor. Sparks and tendrils of electricity writhed off him and back as he jerked and shook.

He dropped to his knees.

His heart pounded erratically as it tried to keep him alive, tried to keep the blood flowing, tried to repair the damage that had been done…

Naroz slumped onto his side.

His universe shrank to just the beat of his flailing heart… slowing… struggling…

Failing…

And then… it ceased.


	36. Chapter 36: Loose Ends

I had a feeling you'd like that one, Katie. XD Thanks! Had a lot of fun writing it, I can say that much. And thanks, hyperpotterprincess, WWEStarBaby, The CodeMeister, Kimjuni2, kaylee, Cronixslayer!

And as to whether or not I'm doing another chapter, kaylee, well… yup. XD We're not done yet.

Chapter 36. And thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Six:<strong>  
><strong>Loose Ends<strong>

After the battle, Azula picked herself up off the floor. "Well! That was quite refreshing."

Zuko glared at her. "Why?"

She stretched. "I would think it would be obvious, Zu-Zu. I haven't had much to do recently. It was nice to get a real workout."

Zuko just glared.

"Don't you think we should do something about the fire? If you don't, I will."

In the quiet after the fight, they could hear the crackle and roar of the burning columns. The fire cast yellow light in the hall.

Zuko shrugged. "Go ahead."

Azula turned and went into the hall. Pillar by pillar, wall by wall, she pulled the fire off and snuffed it out. The room smoked, but it was still standing.

Zuko still glared at her when she was done. "Why did you do it? Why did you save my life?"

"To be honest, I don't know."

"Honest." Zuko scoffed. "That's a good one."

"To be doubted in my moment of sincerity. You _wound_ me, Zu-Zu." The mocking smile. "But there _is_ unfinished business between us… not least of which is that you could have killed _me_ when you had the chance. But you didn't. You even visited me. I still don't understand why."

Zuko made to answer that, but Azula spoke first. "If I let had him finish you—" She nodded at what had been Naroz. "—I'd never get the answer." The smile slid back onto her face. "Or the chance to finish you myself. So I acted. So I could gain more time, if nothing else."

"We're family, Azula; you said it yourself. That's what family does. Especially now." Zuko exhaled. "Father's dead."

"I know. So it really does fall to the two of us." She looked him in the eyes. "_And I—want it._"

"No way."

She laughed. "Would you really fight for it, right now? In the middle of this coup? An Agni Kai?"

He was ready to hurl his answer—but then he stopped. And thought about it. "No. Now isn't the time. We need to end this uprising first."

"What?" Azula was bemused. "The mighty Zuko, refusing to take a challenge?"

"Yes." He looked at her keenly. "This challenge is not just to me, it's to my throne. _Our_ throne—our family's. And it's also a challenge to the peace. I will not let that fall."

"So the idealist is still there. Big surprise." She drew herself up. "Very well—I want half."

"Half of what?"

"Your throne."

"That's ridiculous!" He laughed. "How can I split my throne?"

"You take half of the Fire Nation, and I take half. It's very simple."

Zuko glared. "No."

Azula laughed. "All right. I agree the idea's ridiculous." She smiled at him teasingly. "But I did want to see your reaction."

He glared even harder.

"Very well. Here's my final offer." She came closer. "It's clear to see that your 'peace and love' campaign only goes so far." She nodded again at Naroz. "Thieves like him are tempted. They need to be put in their place. Your velvet glove needs to cover a mailed fist.

Azula smiled. "Let _me_ be that fist. You can be the Fire Lord, and worry about all the big things, while _I_ can keep the peasants in line. And enjoy it."

"Why?" Zuko was surprised. "Why give up being Fire Lord?"

She exhaled. "To be honest, Zu-Zu… it was too much of a bother. As Princess I doubted no one's loyalty. I didn't have to. As Fire Lord… it seemed like everyone was against me."

"There was a reason for that," Mai said angrily from the floor.

"Yes." Azula barely paused. "I _could_ be the Fire Lord—and I still might be… but I'd rather not worry about it. As Princess…" She smiled cruelly. "It's my enemies who should worry."

"I agree with that," said Zuko.

"So—there it is. That's my offer. What's your answer?"

"I'll consider it."

Azula sighed. "Very well. By the way, there is another benefit you should consider. With me as your right hand, I can be the 'bad guy', and you can be all goody-goody. And should they kill _you_…" Again she smiled that cruel smile. "They know _I_ follow _you_."

o o o

Wa Si arrived at the Fire Nation capital soon after the coup against Zuko had been put down. He delivered his report about Naroz on his knees, and he abjectly apologized for not being faster. Zuko forgave him on the spot, if anything needed to be forgiven. Azula was less forgiving, but she thanked Wa Si for the opportunity to "deliver justice personally" to Naroz. Wa Si warily took that in due course.

At the Fire Lord's command, Wa Si went to work on dissecting the coup and ferreting out any remaining ally of Naroz's. Not surprisingly, Naroz left very little clue as to who he had worked with, but there was enough to begin with, as before.

Azula for her part went to the Fire Nation Colonies, as they were now ready to boil thanks to Naroz. With a small unit of hand-picked troops, she restored order to the Colonies, sometimes brutally. It soon became clear that any thought of the Fire Nation giving up the Colonies was very mistaken.

The old wound had been touched, though, by Naroz's rumors: the Earth Kingdom lands surrendered on Zuko's word. A victorious war suddenly lost. The old resentments still steamed. The less discreet took it up with Azula. The more discreet… bided their time.

o o o

The Gaang had headed back to the Earth/Fire border after finding Miyong, returning once again to help keep the peace. Reactions to the newest Airbender ranged from no reaction at all to outright elation. In one case, the sight of the Avatar and Miyong caused an avid supporter to foam at the mouth and ultimately collapse in a heap; he was all right after some time to himself.

Aang divided his time between helping on the border and training Miyong in Airbending and the ways of the Air Nomads. Training Miyong had been a challenge all on its own; Aang had spent far more time thinking about ways to find possible Airbenders than on ways to train them once they were found.

He found himself mining his deepest memories, thinking about how _he_ had been shown how to Airbend: what to feel for, how to use it, how to direct what he felt outward through his body into the now-familiar styles he knew. Eventually he found ways to convey these things to Miyong, and they had made progress.

But there was one area in which they had gone nowhere.

Miyong stood with his arms folded. "I am _not_ going to shave my head."

"Come on, Miyong!" said Aang. "It's what we've always done!"

"I am _not_ going around with a bald head!"

"Miyong, I've gone around with a bald head for years, and you don't see me complaining about it. It's what we do!"

"Yeah, but you've got a cool arrow on top of your head." Then Miyong's eyes lit in inspiration. " Hey—can I have an arrow made of hair maybe?"

That didn't help. "No, you _can't_ have an arrow made of hair. You _earn_ the arrow only when you've demonstrated that you're a master of Airbending—and we've only just started your training!"

Then a change in tactics. Miyong put his hands on his hips. "Hey, I'm the only Airbending student you've got. What if I don't want to?"

Now Aang folded his arms. "Yes. You're the only Airbending student I've got. But you're not _going_ to be unless you do what I say!"

There was silence for a moment as master and student glared at each other.

"Aang, couldn't you compromise a little?" said Katara, figuring someone had better say something. "Learning Airbending is the important thing, right?"

Aang frowned. "I might… _if_ Miyong promises that he'll shave his head eventually."

"_That's_ a good compromise," Sokka chimed in. "I mean, it does take a while to get used to a shaved head—speaking from experience."

Aang looked to his student. "Miyong?"

Miyong thought about it for a moment. "All right…" Then he pointed. "Then I want _that_ kind of haircut."

The Gaang followed Miyong's point—right to a momentarily-speechless Sokka. Toph, on realizing who Miyong was pointing at, shook her head slowly. "We are _never_ going to hear the end of this."

Aang looked Sokka's haircut over, thought about it, then nodded. "All right. I think we can do that."

And they didn't hear the end of it. Miyong, with his hair shaved on the sides and intact on top, now proudly wore what he called an Airbender's wolftail, while Sokka expounded to anyone within hearing distance how _he_ had influenced the look of Air Nomad apprentices. But the Airbending lessons had continued.

It also struck Aang later on: given his recent conversation with Katara regarding future Airbenders, it was indeed appropriate that the culture of the Water Tribe should influence that of the Air Nomads. He chuckled to himself.

Then an important looking scroll arrived by royal courier from Ba Sing Se.

Sokka opened it. "It's from the Earth Regent. She has good news!"

"Sokka…" Katara pointed to the scroll's label. "It's addressed to _Aang?_"

Sokka lowered the scroll. "Hey, I'm a part of Team Avatar. _I_ can handle his correspondence."

Katara folded her arms. "Oh, really?"

"What _is_ the news, Sokka?" Aang asked.

Sokka opened the scroll again. "It doesn't say. It just says that she has good news and that we're to come to Ba Sing Se. Immediately."

Toph tilted her head. "That's odd. Why not tell us what it is?"

Katara looked at Aang. "What do you think?"

Aang shrugged. "She _is_ the Earth Regent. And things are quieter here, now. I guess we could go."

"Ba Sing Se!" exclaimed Miyong. "Really?"

"Yep!" Aang nodded. "I don't know if you'll like it, though. It has lots of buildings and lots of people. You can feel pretty closed in at times."

Sokka was of a different mind. "And it has a _huge_ wall—with a big drill that _we_ stopped. And it has this train that Earthbenders push around!"

Miyong's eyes lit up. "Cool! Uh, one question." He looked at Sokka. "What's a train?"

o o o

The Gaang took flight for Ba Sing Se. The land hadn't changed too much since they last saw it; the serpentine outer wall went by, long and ribbony, stretching to the horizon, and the farms and forests looked the same, maybe a little fuller. The mighty inner wall looked as imposing as ever. Soldiers and farmers waved as the Gaang flew by.

When they were over the city itself, Sokka gestured at some buildings in the distance. "Hey, Aang—fly over those on the way in, will ya?"

"Okay… I guess I can." Aang obligingly altered course. "What are we flying over, Sokka?"

"Only some of the finest restaurants in the Earth Kingdom! General Toso's chicken pig, hong sue cow pig, Pazing Ze goose duck…" Sokka breathed in deeply and sighed. "I've missed Ba Sing Se."

"Okay, Sokka," said Toph, grinning. "We'll plan in some time so you can reacquaint yourself with your first love later."

That earned her a frown.

They landed outside the Earth King's palace. Miyong and his mother and father looked around, in awe of what they saw. The chamberlain walked up to them, and Aang went to meet him. "Avatar Aang and party to see the Earth Regent, please."

"Ah, Avatar Aang. Excellent." The chamberlain motioned. "This way, please."

They were guided to a room in the Palace to wait for the Regent's summons; Miyong's mother told him several times not to touch anything. Not too long after, they were shown to the Throne Room, which was just as broad as long, and as cavernous as they remembered it. They could see the Earth Regent's chair, and guards lined the walls.

"That's odd," said Sokka, flicking his eyes to either wall.

Aang turned, still walking. "What is, Sokka?"

"There are just guards here. No nobles, no officials… no crowd."

Katara shrugged. "Maybe they just granted us a special audience."

They walked on. Miyong and his family gawked at all the finery, the cunning scenes worked in gold along the dark green walls, everything their eyes lighted on.

Eventually Aang could see who was sitting in the Regent's chair.

"Uh-oh."

He came to a dead stop.

"So, Avatar…" Long Feng purred.


	37. Chapter 37: Endgame

Thanks, VividDreamer, Codemeister, Katie! And ah, but what will that price be? :D

So... are you ready? Buckle your seatbelts, guys. Chapter 37. And thanks again, everybody. It's greatly appreciated.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Seven:<strong>  
><strong>Endgame<strong>

"So, Avatar…" Long Feng purred in the darkened Throne Room. "You finally made it. I'm glad my trust was not misplaced."

"What are you doing here, Long Feng?" Aang challenged. "Where is the Earth Regent?"

"Ah, yes, the Earth Regent." Long Feng smiled and steepled his fingers. "Suffice it to say, she has become more… receptive to my opinions."

An image of Jet went through Aang's mind: comrade-in-arms one moment, implacable enemy the next—all at Long Feng's word.

Long Feng stood. "Dai Li—take them."

The guards came away from the walls, most still in the livery of the King's Guards, but a few wearing the dark green gown-like uniform of the Dai Li.

"We gotta get out of here," Aang said. Then they heard a hollow boom behind them, from the great doors closing.

"I… don't think that's an option anymore…" said Sokka.

Aang looked around, frantically trying to think of options, when he saw Miyong and his family, frightened, shrinking back, cowering. He thought of Miyong, the newest Airbender… he thought of all the others he had tried to find, and couldn't—because of Long Feng.

He straightened. "No. No more are going to die, because of _him_."

Aang turned to face his tormentor.

"Why?" Aang cried. "Why, Long Feng? Why did you do this? You had another chance. You could have lived your life in peace! Why did you make all those people disappear, just because they might have been Airbenders?"

"It's very simple, _Avatar_," Long Feng said, grinding out the title. "By imprisoning me, you sought to deny me my future. When I was free, _I sought to deny you yours._"

"You sought to deny me my future." Aang was furious. "Those people had to die because of that. Do you realize what you've done?"

"Yes, Avatar," Long Feng replied calmly. "And believe it or not, some people think the world is better off without you."

Aang glared at Long Feng. "You have no idea what you've done at all." His eyes and tattoos started to glow. He took in Long Feng and the Dai Li. In the multi-layered voice of the Avatar, he said, "_**You don't know what you've done—OR what you're up against.**_"

The Dai Li stopped. Some looked at the others nervously.

"Don't pay any attention to that," Long Feng said dismissively. "If he _was_ a fully-realized Avatar, he'd be doing far more than talk. Attack!"

Aang's eyes returned to normal. He turned to the Gaang. "Okay, here's the plan. I'll stay here and protect Miyong and his family. The rest of you, get to Long Feng and take him down."

"_No_." Katara glared like a tigress. "I _won't_ let you get separated from me again, Aang! We go together, or not at all!"

A rock hand flew at Katara. Sokka swatted it down with his club. "Uh, guys…" He looked at the advancing Dai Li. "I really think we ought to do something quick…"

"Don't worry about Longbritches, Twinkletoes," Toph drawled. "I'll get 'im."

"Then I'm going too," said Sokka. "You're not going out there alone."

For a moment, Toph softened… then she put a hand on Sokka's chest. "Sorry, Sokka. Where I'm going, you can't follow." She smiled slightly. "Really, you can't. Trust me." Sokka didn't like it, but he nodded. He clasped Toph's shoulder, then let go.

Aang thought quickly, then nodded too. "All right. But I'm coming as soon as I can." Then he felt something beneath his feet, way, way down, and inspiration struck. "Hey—before you go, I want some bendables for Katara. Do you feel it?"

"Bendables? What do you—?" Then Toph's face went blank as she felt with her feet. "Oh, yeah…" Her face broke out in her wry troublemaking grin. "Sweet. Now?"

Aang grinned. "Now."

They stomped, and rent the floor in two. The whole Throne Room shook. Miyong and his family fell to their hands and knees, and even the Dai Li had trouble staying on their feet. Then up out of the chasm came a geyser of foul-smelling sewage.

"Ugh!" Katara made a face. "Sewer water!"

"Hey." Toph shrugged. "Throw it at the Dai Li. They won't mind."

And then the tigress look was back on Katara's face, along with a very fierce smile. "Yeah… they won't mind at all."

She drew water from the geyser, channelled it behind her, and hurled it into the nearest Dai Li. "Eeeee_yah!_" It blew him back into a wall. One down.

Two Dai Li threw a current of earth at Aang, which he batted aside before it could rise up and strike. Aang punched fire at them to break them up. Sokka threw his boomerang, and missed… one of the Dai Li smirked.

So did Sokka.

The boomerang returned and hit the Dai Li in the back of the head. He toppled. Two down.

"Toph, you'd better—" Sokka turned. "Where is she?"

Katara spared a look. "I don't know."

"She went underground!" said Miyong. "A hole opened up, and she just hopped in!" His eyes widened, and he pointed. "There! There she is!"

Toph popped up behind two Dai Li. She spread her arms, then brought them together. Two slabs of earth arose and squished the Dai Li into an Earthbender sandwich. Toph send a current of earth at more Dai Li attacking the Gaang, then hopped into another hole.

Sokka stood there, amazed. "Man. She's good."

"Sokka! Behind you!"

Sokka ducked and whirled, and a boulder flew by at head level. He lashed out with his war club and caught a Dai Li in the stomach. The agent doubled over. A hammer fist to the back of the neck drove him down. Five.

Sokka turned. "Thanks, Katara."

Aang leaped up and spun, sending a torrent of fire around the Gaang and driving back the Dai Li. Katara reached out with a massive water tentacle, gathered three Dai Li together, and bashed them into a pillar. Eight.

Three more of them sent three blasts of earth at the Gaang, but the earth was knocked knocked down from the side by boulders—Toph's doing. She walked boldly into the open. "Come on, Longjohns, I thought you were good! C'mon! Hit me with your best shot!"

That did rankle Long Feng, and he sent a storm of rock darts at her in reply—only to watch Toph duck down again and see the darts fly into his own men. He bared his teeth.

More boulders flew in on the Gaang's position. Sokka ducked and dodged, but then he had an idea. He sheathed his boomerang.

Another boulder sailed in waist-high. Sokka took his war club in both hands, swung at the boulder, and batted it back where it came from. He felt the shock up to his shoulders.

The Dai Li that had sent the rock stood there dumb-founded—and watched the rock fly right back into his face. He fell over backward.

Sokka pumped his fist. "Hoooo, yeah, I rocked an Earthbender!" More rocks flew at him in vengeance. "Whoa-ho!" Sokka ducked.

Katara lashed out with water again and took down another Dai Li, but she missed a boulder coming in. It hit. "_Hauuuuggh!_" She was down.

Aang felt it. His eyes flashed. He sent a rock column under the agent and drove him into the ceiling. Hard.

Aang flew to Katara She had gotten to her hands and knees, coughing. "I'm ok—" She coughed. "—I'm okay, Aang. I'm okay." She wrapped some water around herself and began to heal.

Sokka threw his boomerang in a defensive arc. "Aang, get up here!"

"I'm on it!" Aang gave Katara's arm a squeeze, then stood. His eyes glowed. "_**It's my turn.**_"

Up he went again into the air, spinning, showering fire, and this time he drew in earth and hurled it back. Again the Dai Li were driven back. Now Aang stopped spinning; he channelled the water himself and flailed out at his enemies. One by one they went down, blown into the walls, entombed in rock, frozen by water, burned by fire.

Long Feng's jaw went slack—then fury ran over his features. He pointed at Aang. "Take him down! Take him down! _Take down the Avatar!_"

The Dai Li obeyed. They gathered earth and rock and hurled it up at one point in the middle—Aang. Rocks flew in from around the room.

Aang saw. Eyes glowing, he clenched his teeth in fury—and in one mighty roundhouse kick he blew it all back. The Dai Li barely fended it off—some of them. The rest crumpled under their own assault.

Now Katara was back on her feet. She gathered in two tentacles of water and went after the Dai Li, lashing with one, defending with the other on the return stroke. They either broke her attack with stone, dodged, or were caught and hurled out of the way.

Sokka started to throw his boomerang at a promising target… but something made him pause. He took in the situation. For the moment, Katara was dealing with Dai Li in the rear of the throne room. Toph was busy playing her deadly hide-and-seek in the front. Aang was firing in all directions as needed. but more to the front of the room. There were Dai Li on the sides of the room, but they had thinned out somewhat, especially to one side.

_If we can guard our backs,_ he thought, _we won't have to aim in all directions. Then we can concentrate our fire!_

"Katara! Knock out the guys on your left! Aang! Do the same on your right! Everybody! Follow me!"

Katara glanced at him angrily. "Sokka, what are you—"

Sokka threw his boomerang at a Dai Li point-blank in the face; it knocked him down. Then Sokka drew his sword and charged. "Aaaaaa-_aaaaaaaaaah!_"

Katara went wide-eyed. "_Sokka!_" She wheeled to her left and flung her water-whips at the Dai Li.

Elemental battles the Dai Li expected, but a frontal assault from a guy with a sword backed up by a water-wielding witch was something else. They scattered. Miyong and his family followed in Sokka's wake. Aang pot-shotted the fleeing Dai Li and joined the rest of the Gaang.

Toph popped up again near Long Feng and sneered. "Whatsamatter, Longtooth? Your Dai Li getting _Dai Low?_"

In anger, Long Feng lashed out at Toph with a tentacle of earth—which she caught and held. "That's better." A fierce joy shone from her face. She threw it back and joined in battle against Long Feng, one on one.

"Now!" Sokka pointed with his sword. "Clear out the back of the room! Herd 'em toward the front!"

Katara drew in more water and created a four-armed octopus with massive tentacles, then she smashed into the Dai Li. Back on the floor and no longer in the Avatar State, Aang matched her. She would lash out in water, he would echo in fire right behind. He felt her moves through his feet and set his own to match. Fire and Water gathered the Dai Li back toward the throne.

Long Feng was a match for Toph—sometimes. He clove an Earth wave in two and slapped at Toph with one of his own. Toph deflected it and replied with an Earth current. She dodged only when she had to, now.

The remaining Dai Li were down to a quarter of their number, and they were being driven back. Katara blasted with water, cut with it, froze agents in place. Aang hurled columns of fire and earth, blew his enemies down with torrents of wind, dragged them where he willed with water and bashed them into the walls. They advanced, step, by step, by step. Soon half the room was behind them. Sokka gathered up his boomerang, sheathed his sword, and looked for targets.

Back in front, Toph sent up a flurry of dust. Long Feng tore it down and brought down huge hammers of rock, trying to squash Toph. Rock splinters flew everywhere. Toph flicked them aside and threw a massive javelin of earth. Long Feng dove aside, rolled, and roundhouse-kicked boulders at ankle level. Toph hopped over that and brought out rock hammers of her own.

Now a quarter of the Throne Room lay between Katara and Aang and the Dai Li. Two dozen of them were left, but for most of them, their will was in shreds. They blocked attacks or dodged but rarely replied with strikes of their own.

Aang stopped bending, and lowered his arms to waist level. "_Surrender!_"

"Surrender. To you? Never!" Long Feng launched another Earth wave at Toph.

"All right… fine." Aang channelled fire directly at Long Feng in furious red and yellow. He barely saw it in time and dodged.

Katara ran forward and thundered her water at Long Feng, ice cold blue and deadly. He rolled out of the way, escaping by a hair.

Toph planted her feet, centered, then clapped her hands together. A clamshell of dark earth rose around Long Feng and caught him, engulfing him up to the neck. The two halves sealed with a mighty crack.

"Now," Aang said firmly. "Surrender. _Or else._"

"Or _what?_" said Long Feng. "_Uhhhnnn!_" He threw his head back, and the clamshell split open. He tried to jump free of it, but Toph sent a quick current of earth to grab his foot. She then clapped her hands and slammed the clamshell shut again, this time with a helmet of rock to hold Long Feng's head in place.

The Dai Li looked at each other, then at their enemies. One by one, they knelt and went prostrate.

Aang exhaled, then looked at Katara. She looked back with a tired smile on her dirt-streaked face. He went over and hugged her.

Back in the middle of the room, Miyong was all but bouncing, an out of control grin on his face.

"_That was **totally wicked!**_"

— — —

They found the Earth Regent in her chambers, sitting in a chair and blankly staring at the wall. When they brought her out of that state, she was pale with rage. At her request, they brought her to see Long Feng in the Throne Room.

She glared at him, sarcophagus of earth and all. "Long Feng, I promised you that should you ever set your interests above those of the Earth Kingdom, I would send you to the coldest possible place. I now make good on that promise."

His response was characteristically snide.

He sneered. "I have to go to the bathroom."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Just in case: _The Incredibles_ is the property of Disney/Pixar.


	38. Chapter 38: One Last Task

(grins)

I was hoping you'd post, Katie! Thanks again! And thanks, WONDERBANG, eXtraNIo, everybody!

I'm a little surprised nobody said anything about Sokka's derring-do with rocking an Earthbender, or how Katara went from having one bag of water to a whole sewer's worth, but… eh. XD

So where do we go from here? Toward the end, of course.

Chapter 38. And thanks again, everybody.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirty-Eight:<strong>  
><strong>One Last Task<strong>

The Dai Li's covert takeover made for a lot of housecleaning on the Earth Kingdom's part, but the Gaang felt it was something the Earth Regent could handle on her own.

Most of the Gaang, anyway.

"I'm still just a little concerned that we aren't more actively involved in the cleanup," Sokka said, his arms folded.

"Sokka." Katara smiled. "That's silly! She has all the resources of the Earth Kingdom available. I'm sure she can handle this."

"Yeah," Aang chimed in from atop Appa's head. "And we took care of Long Feng."

"And the Dai Li," added Katara.

"Yeah, well, we thought we took care of Long Feng _last_ time," Sokka replied. "Look what happened! And for that matter, I'm really surprised you didn't do something about him."

"Do what?" asked Aang.

"To whom?" added Katara.

"To Long Feng!" Sokka gestured. "You know—_really_ take care of him."

"Sokka…" Aang let go of the reins and turned around. "I didn't kill Long Feng for the same reason I didn't kill Ozai."

"Yeah, yeah, I kinda figured. But why didn't you—oh, I don't know—take away his bending the way you took away Ozai's?"

"Because Ozai wasn't as big a threat without his bending." Aang looked at Sokka intently. "The most dangerous thing about Long Feng isn't his bending—it's his mind. His ability to organize, to plan, to plot. He managed to make the whole Dai Li loyal to him, and no one knew about it for years!"

Sokka spread his arms. "All the more reason to take him out! He's gonna break free again!"

"Sokka—"

"I know, I know… you don't kill people like that."

"That's—right." Aang nodded. Seeing Sokka had nothing further to say on that point, Aang turned back around to the front. "Besides… what the Earth Regent has in mind for him should take care of any problems."

"Yeah," Sokka grumbled. "Should."

Aang looked back over his shoulder, but Sokka was pointedly looking somewhere else.

o o o

The Gaang went back to keeping the peace in the Liberated areas, and happily they weren't needed as much as they used to be. There were disturbances and incidents and the occasional quarrel that needed sorting out, but things seemed to be settling down.

News also trickled eastward that Azula was free once again—and even more surprisingly, she was acting at Zuko's command in the Fire Nation Colonies. _That_ news was decidedly un-settling, but things seemed to be quieting down in the Colonies as well, so the Gaang found no need to get involved… for the time being.

Aang continued to train Miyong in Airbending and in the ways of the Air Nomads. Every day Aang put Miyong through his paces, drilling the basic techniques, then enlarging on those when Miyong had a handle on them. Every night Aang codified his techniques, putting down on paper what had been second nature to him for years. It wasn't easy. Expressing something in words or in drawings what his body knew through movement and feeling seemed… mechanical.

Eventually Aang remembered that regimented drill wasn't the way of the Air Nomads at all. There were times of practice and training, yes, but he had learned the most through _living_ as an Airbender, using his Airbending as a part of what he did every day. He could teach Miyong by _showing_ him how to live as an Airbender: how to run with air-light speed, how to fly up stairs and walls, how to Airbend doors open and closed, how to live with the wind as a part of life.

Once that was done, Aang and Miyong started to make real progress. Sokka got in the way of doors a few times. Or vice versa. Toph took notes for future reference.

Aang had to chuckle at himself. Maybe Toph's training in Earth and Zuko's training in Fire had influenced how he had been training Miyong in Air.

In the course of training Miyong, though, Aang got to thinking more and more about the one who had shown _him_ how to live with the wind. His gentle humor… his deft touch with Aircakes… how he always managed to turn things so that every problem had a solution… everything he had taught and shown Aang to make him who he was.

That made Aang realize there was one more task to perform.

One day, he approached Miyong with a sad smile on his face.

"I just realized there's something we need to do. I meant to do it as soon as we had time, but well, you know how that is."

"What is it?"

"We need to go to the Southern Air Temple. There's someone I need to take care of."

o o o

And so, with due notice given to the Earth Regent and to the Fire Lord, the Gaang left for the Southern Air Temple. They took their time getting there, Aang letting Appa pick his own pace; he thought a lot on the journey south, about what was needed and how he would do it.

He also told Miyong about Gyatso, his old master; how Gyatso had trained him, how he had grown up… how things had been before the war.

Eventually the towers of the Temple came into sight. Aang had raised their altitude gently on the way in, for the sake of Miyong and his parents—although Aang figured Miyong would have liked the sudden rush up that the Gaang had done the last time they were here.

"The Southern Air Temple." Miyong's father shook his head. "I never thought I'd see Ba Sing Se, let alone the Earth Palace. And now here I am, seeing this."

Aang looked over his shoulder and smiled. "I'm glad you like it. This was the first place I called home."

They landed and found rooms in the Temple's empty halls. The Temple had seen another year of weather and wind, but it wasn't too different from the last time the Gaang had seen it.

"Have you ever thought about making this your home again?" Katara asked. "You know… this or one of the other Air Temples?"

"I have," Aang replied. "But we're needed so much now, we're always on the move. I think it'd be better to save that for later. That, and after Long Feng, well…"

Katara nodded and squeezed his hand.

They set to the task at hand.

They went to the shed where Gyatso lay. Miyong and his parents gasped at the sight; Miyong even recoiled a bit.

Aang held out his hand in the skeleton's direction. "Miyong, this is my master, Gyatso. I told you about what happened on the way here. Today, we'll say goodbye to him."

They gathered wood from around the Temple and set it on the pyre, a special outcrop of rock where the air currents blew away from the Temple. They then gathered Gyatso's remains, cradling them gently in a blanket, and set them on the pyre.

"Do you have to burn him, Sifu?" Miyong asked. "I mean, he died because of fire, so it seems kind of… you know."

"Yeah, that's true." Aang smiled sadly. "But Gyatso told me once why we do it this way. See… our bodies have all of the Four Elements inside us: Water… Earth… Fire… and Air. When we do this, the pyre will burn everything else away, and his ashes will be lifted into the air, so he can become one with it." He shrugged. "I mean, he's one with it already, of course, but… it's just what we do."

Miyong shrugged and smiled. "Whatever you say, Sifu Aang."

Aang cocked a wry eyebrow. "That's not what you said about your hair."

"Well, that was my _hair_. That's different."

Aang smiled and nodded. "Uh-huh."

Aang and Miyong went back inside the Temple, the rest following. Once there, Aang kindled a fire on the hearth using flint and steel. When the fire was going well, Aang took a long, thin stick and put it in the fire. After a while, he took it out, and used the burning stick to light the taper of a lantern. The lantern glowed, sending light out through Air Nomad swirls cut in the plain gray sides.

Together the party walked back to the pyre with the lantern, everyone matching Aang's slow pace. Katara kept looking at Aang, concerned, but… Aang seemed at peace. She wanted to hold him… but she didn't want to disturb him or interrupt what he was doing. She knew this ceremony was part catharsis, bringing closure to everything that had happened… and part giving Aang the chance to say goodbye. A proper goodbye this time, not like before… and also, a proper goodbye for Gyatso himself.

They stopped at the pyre.

"I know there were some words they used to say, but I don't remember what they were," said Aang.

Katara slipped her hand into his. "I think they'd be okay with it if you said your own."

Aang turned and smiled. Then he gave her hand a squeeze and let go. He walked forward.

"Gyatso… I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for teaching me, for being there for me… I'm sorry… I'm sorry I wasn't there, I—"

Tears came to his eyes. Why the words wouldn't come _now_ when he'd been thinking about it all the way down to the Southern Air Temple… _the_ time when he could finally say what he had meant to say...

He hung his head.

Then he felt Katara's hand slip into his again. And a gentle squeeze.

Past and present.

He squeezed back, and turned his attention back to Gyatso.

"If it weren't for you," Aang said, more steady now," I wouldn't be who I am. And I wouldn't be _where_ I am, either. Thank you…"

Katara smiled at him, tears in her eyes. She turned to the pyre. "Thank you, Gyatso. Thank you for everything."

Silence, except for the wind.

Katara let it be a moment, then squeezed Aang's hand. "Are you ready?"

Aang took a moment to answer. His voice was thick. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready."

He let go of Katara's hand. He set the lantern down, then picked up another long thin stick and placed it in the flame. When it was lit, he drew it out and guarded the flame on the way to the pyre.

He lit the kindling.

The fire took its time to grow, slowly working its way out. Later Aang would think that at that moment, he could have helped things along. He could have bent Fire to light the pyre itself. He could have bent Air to speed the fire along. The Air Nomads of old, though, did none of these things, even the Avatars among them in their time. The fire itself was kindled; the air flowed naturally from the mountainside. This, too, was simply what they did.

The wind caught the flame, and it sped through the pyre in a rush. Soon the whole pyre was a mass of roaring flame, snapping and crackling in the winds of the mountain. Earth was rent from water, from fire, from air, and ashes floated on the wind.

Aang came back to Katara and put his arm around her shoulders, something that wouldn't have been so easy a few months before. She put his arm around his waist, and they hugged, side by side. Tears ran down Aang's face, but he was smiling, wistfully.

Something caught his eye.

He looked up. Just for a moment, among the ashes he saw a mustachioed smiling face, smiling to him one last time.

Aang smiled.


	39. Epilogue

Thanks, cocky-gurl, Katie, Justice333! :D

I'd like to thank everybody again for reading and most especially for commenting on the story. It's been fun to write, and it's been terrific hearing what you all think. Thanks again.

And now, our conclusion.

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

The end of the revolt and the pacification of the Fire Nation Colonies left Zuko in a quandry. He knew that some people were unhappy with the loss of Fire Nation territory, and he knew that some were angry enough (or ambitious enough) to plot against him, even now. He wasn't about to start another war to satisfy those people, but he also wasn't going to impose a draconian crackdown on the entire Fire Nation—despite what Azula had done in the Colonies.

Zuko talked with Iroh, he talked with Mai, he even talked with Azula when she returned, and he considered… then he chose. The course of action he felt was best was the one he'd been pursuing before: to trust, and to continue to provide for his people.

Wa Si continued to work steadily on uncovering the remaining conspirators, with the additional mission of ferreting out any new ones. Azula worked with her brother to maintain order; she sat on his Council and became, as she had proposed, Zuko's "mailed fist". It took a while before the Council could speak its mind easily again, especially in Azula's presence. Predictably, General Xhong was the first to do so.

Zuko resolved to use Azula as little as possible in her "mailed fist" capacity, but he relied on her and on Wa Si to detect and deter any problems before they became threats. He continued to work to resolve and reconcile things within the Fire Nation, bringing home the troops slowly, rotating them home on occasion as Naroz, ironically, had suggested.

The full tale of Ozai's death was made known, both in the Fire Nation and in the Earth Kingdom. Particular note was made that it was a Fire Nation general using an Earth Kingdom weapon who had killed the former Fire Lord. Zuko hoped that the restraint he had shown during that incident would be accepted by the Earth Kingdom as a gesture of good faith toward the future. Only time would tell.

Zuko also had hope for the initiative begun by Iroh with the blessing of some of the Earth Kingdom's generals, where a select number of Fire Nation citizens were allowed to return to the Liberated Lands to live near villagers from the Earth Kingdom. That was another carrotbean Zuko could offer his people: cooperate, and be considered as one of the new colonists. The territory involved became known to history as the Shared Lands—until the name changed a few years later.

Naroz's uprising left Zuko with a Throne Room that could barely stand, so Zuko took advantage of the opportunity to rebuild. Steel from the Fire Nation's shipyards was used to build the new structure higher and with many more windows than before. Natural light found its way in for the first time in decades, lending to a lighter, airier, less closed-in and fearful atmosphere.

The techniques thus pioneered were copied and used elsewhere, and soon ever-taller buildings were popping up throughout the Fire Nation—including the Colonies. Earth Kingdom merchants certainly took notice, and spoke of them on their travels home.

Zuko continued to promote trade with the Earth Kingdom, and he began talks with the Northern Water Tribe to start trading there as well. He hoped that, under the right circumstances, the Fire Nation could export its steel and building techniques to the other nations, but he knew to take his time. Trade in the Fire Nation's former war industries would be very sensitive, especially with certain people.

And, by the end of the year, farm tractors began to roll out of some of the former tank factories. They would be used in the fields of the Fire Nation and, it was hoped one day, exported to the Earth Kingdom as well.

So it was that Fire Lord Zuko sat upon his newly-reclaimed throne, with Azula at his right hand, Mai at his left, and Iroh behind, supporting them all. The Fire Nation had only begun its transition from war… to peace. Many trials and troubles still lay ahead.

At the same time, Iroh felt sure that some of the Fire Nation's best years were yet to come.

o o o

_**Things continue to quiet down**,_ Katara wrote in her journal. _**We heard from Zuko that a general led an uprising and tried to kill him, but he was stopped—with help from** _**_Azula,__ of all people. Zuko also told us that Azula is now helping him run things. It'll be interesting to hear how that happened, the next time we meet him. Azula, running around free?_** Katara shook her head.

_**The Earth King eventually came back to Ba Sing Se, and he's full of a lot of ideas about what he saw and did. One big change is that he's made himself a student at Ba Sing Se University, and he's sending people far and wide to collect knowledge about the world. He also said he's going to help people hurt by the war, having seen it for himself. I think there is going to be a lot of good change going on.**_

Crutches, black eyes, bandages and all, Chung Hua left his hut for the first time since the strange Earthbenders attacked him and his village. His appearance drew welcomes and cheers from Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation citizens alike. He smiled warmly at them all.

_**Before the Earth Regent left power, though, she kept her promise to Long Feng. He is now a prisoner at the North Pole in a cell made completely of ice. The Earth Regent really did put him in the coldest possible place.**_

_**Talks are going on between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom to change the peace treaty. They're going to try having Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom villagers ****side by side**** in the Liberated Lands. They're choosing special people now to live in these villages, including former soldiers from both nations. I hope it works. I think Aang is going to be very busy.**_

On the way to the Shared Lands, the former Fire Nation colonel from the border fortress eased his pack on his shoulders and looked at his wife, son, and daughter. He knew that life in the new land wouldn't be easy, and it wasn't exactly the same as the land of his parents and grandparents, but it was close. He remembered that day he had spoken with the Avatar, his words spoken out of loss and frustration… and apparently, he'd been heard. He gave his family an encouraging smile and carried on.

_**Aang continues to teach Miyong in addition to his usual Avatar stuff, keeping the peace and so on. He thought about moving into the Western Air Temple, but for now he wants to keep us moving. He thinks we'll be harder targets that way, if anyone is hunting us, like before.**_ Katara smiled. _**He's turned us all into Air Nomads.**_

_**Aang does take time occasionally to look for new Airbenders, using his new technique. He hasn't gone back to the Swamp yet, but he plans to someday. And I think he'll find more Airbenders. Miyong can't be the last new Airbender out there.**_

_**He hasn't talked about making new Airbenders by having children, though… not since we talked at Miyong's village. I think he will… someday. And when he does…**_

Katara blushed.

_**That… will be another story.**_

* * *

><p><strong>Avatar: the Last Airbender<strong>  
><strong>Book Four: Air<strong>  
><strong>Second Genesis<strong>

a wherewulf writing enterprises production

**The End**

* * *

><p>I'd like to thank Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko again for creating <em>Avatar: the Last Airbender<em>. It's been a wonderful world to see, and it's been a pleasure to write in. My thanks again too to Chaka for the beta and to Invaderk for the great editorial work. XD

Ladies and gentlemen, my friends, my family, I'd like to thank you all once again for reading and especially for commenting. It's been an honor to bring you this tale of _ATLA, Book 4: Second Genesis_. Thank you very much again. :D


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